What to do when spouse is hiding money

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOTV) - Protecting assets when contemplating or going through a marriage break up is one of the overwhelming concerns of most women. ' What should I do?  I think my husband is hiding and taking money from our accounts.', is something that we commonly hear from our clients at DAWN .  

One of the very first things your lawyer should do after you file for divorce is to ask the court for a temporary order that includes a provision to freeze all assets, both property and money.  This prevents both you and your husband from hiding money or disposing of property until a fair division of property can be determined and implemented.  

What if you are not in the midst of legal action and you suspect that your spouse is hiding income or disposing of property and keeping it from you?  One of the easiest things to do is to take a video of everything that you own.  Go through the house and video or photograph the contents of every drawer, cupboard, closet and room.  Don't forget the garage where all the 'boy toys' are stored. If you have a deposit box you will need to photograph the contents of that as well.  With cell phone cameras it is easy to make a record of all of your property.  Next, get copies of all of your bank statements.  If you do not have access to these, but your name is on the account, you can go to your bank and request a copy of all of your statements.  Banks will usually do this free of charge if the statements are within the past 6 months.  It can also be done online if you have online banking and are aware of the password.

If you keep an accurate record of all of your belongings and accounts you will be able to determine whether or not your suspicions are true and the bonus is that if you decide to reconcile the photographic record can be used for any insurance loss such as fire or flood.  It is recommended by insurance companies to keep an updated record of all of your personal property to be used in the case of a claim.  Do not feel you are being sneaky by checking up on your assets.  They are your assets as well and you have a right to know what they are.

For more information contact DAWN-Attorneys for Women.

Nothing herein constitutes a legal opinion.