Warning Signs That Your Ex is Hiding Assets

No matter where you are in the divorce process, you’ve probably wondered whether your ex is hiding money from you. After all, money is one of the most frequent topics that married couples argue about. And by the time you get to divorce, there is usually a lack of trust, too. So it’s no wonder that you might be a bit suspicious about what’s happening to your money.

Add to this the fact that you’re now trying to support two households on the same amount of money that you had before you split. How do you make it all work? And how do you make sure that your ex isn’t hiding some money for later?

There are lots of red flags of financial fraud that you might see in your marriage. A few of the more common ones that could indicate your soon-to-be-ex is hiding money include:

1. Missing Paychecks – Have you noticed that a paycheck that normally would be deposited to your bank account wasn’t? Or the amount deposited was lower than usual? Maybe your ex deposited the check elsewhere, cashed the check and hid the money, or deposited the check but took some cash back to hide.
2. Hidden or Altered Documents – Has your ex refused to let you see the bank statements or other financial documents? Do the documents look like they’ve been altered in some way? This point is especially important if there has been a change in your level of access. If you previously had easy access to bank and credit card statements, but now your ex hides them from you, there is cause for concern.
3. Cash Withdrawals – Is your ex withdrawing cash from your bank account, either at a bank branch or at an ATM? This is concerning, especially if he or she never did this before. It’s also concerning if the amounts seem high. If your ex is withdrawing cash and claiming that the money is being used for living expenses, but is still using credit and debit cards as much as before, you should be suspicious that the cash is being hidden.

So what can you do about it? If there is lots of money at stake or the fraud scheme your ex is using is complicated, you might need a forensic accountant to help you sort out the numbers. If a forensic accountant isn’t an option for you, you can dig into your finances with the help of the Divorce Money Guide. 

The Divorce Money Guide walks you through everything you need to know about your money when you're getting divorced. By the time you're done, you'll know what to expect during the financial part of your divorce. You'll know what financial documents you need, how to get them, and exactly what to look for in them so you can learn more about your family's money and find out if your spouse is hiding any money.

Red flags of fraud aren’t proof that your ex is doing something wrong. They’re warning signs that you should pay attention to, however. The more suspicious behavior and warning signs you see, the more likely it is that your ex is hiding money from you. If you see these signs, it’s time to take action to look for the proof you need, once and for all.