by Robin Roshkind, Esquire, West Palm Beach, Florida
There is an expression and it goes like this: “He who has the gold, makes the golden rule.” In most marriages it is STILL the husband who makes the most money. That is slowly changing, but as a generalization, it still holds true. Women take time off from careers to raise children or support their husbands through higher education, snf find they are at a disadvantage when it comes to re entering the job market. It still is a rarity if it happens the other way around where husbands do that for wives. But in any case, where one spouse has significantly more income, or even an inheritance, that is the spouse that may try to defraud the other spouse in divorce court.
There are many ways spouses hide money. Below are just a few:
1. You just don’t tell your spouse about bonuses or increased commissions, and defer them until after the divorce.
2. You make voluntary contributions to retirement plans, or pay for health insurance and other things up front and in advance.
3. Hire new employees that don’t really exist, or hire your girlfriend/boyfriend so payments to her/him look legitimate.
4. Don’t have bank statements or credit card bills come in the mail. Everything is on the computer and secretive.
5. Go fishing a lot off shore, all the while visiting a foreign bank.
6. Go shopping a lot, and return what you have purchased for cash.
7. Share bank accounts with your parents or adult children so it looks like their money.
8. If your spouse runs a cash business or a closely held corporation, it will be very difficult to prove anything.
These are the types of behaviors that keep forensic accountants and private investigators and computer hackers in business. If you are going through a divorce and suspect fraud, hire these experts if you really want to know the truth. For more information about this or other divorce topics, call one of the divorce lawyers at ROBIN ROSHKIND, P.A. at 561 835 9091 or click on the Firm’s web site at www.familylawwpb.com for more information.
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