Dividing property can be extremely complicated when divorcing. It is one of the areas where conflicts can soon occur if both parties do not enter with realistic and reasonable attitudes.
One thing you need to keep an open mind to is the fact that your spouse might not tell the truth when asked to declare their assets. Keep an eye out for warning signs that there might be foul play. Here are a few.
Financial movements that strike you as odd
A couple’s bank statements often show a regular pattern of spending. The grocery bill is roughly the same each month, and the same payments to things like suppliers and lenders go out each month. If you spot new outgoings that you do not understand, you should ask your spouse what they are, and check out any answers that seem suspicious or out of character.
A new interest in investing
Maybe your spouse has never been much of an investor, but that changed over the last year. Perhaps they started reading up about things like cryptocurrency or following the stock market. They may have even talked to you about how it could make sense to invest money in such vehicles. People often know when a divorce is coming, even if it is not mentioned for months or years. Maybe all the time that your spouse was floating the prospect of investing, they were actually investing some money without your knowledge.
Delays in income
Maybe your spouse has always received an annual bonus, but they did not get one this year. It’s possible the company had a bad year, but it’s also possible they had their employer delay the payment until the divorce is over.
If you are concerned that your spouse might have hidden assets, learning more about how to subtly investigate that suspicion with outside help could be wise.