Post written by a former solicitor advocate
You know your ex has money.
Or at least you thought they did.
They had a successful business.
A good income.
Savings.
Investments.
Perhaps rental properties.
An expensive car.
Regular holidays.
Then suddenly, divorce proceedings begin.
And apparently there is nothing left.
The business is struggling.
The savings have disappeared.
There are enormous debts.
And your ex is now earning a fraction of what they earned before.
Sound familiar?
It may be genuine.
But what if it is not?
Financial Disclosure Is Not Optional
In divorce financial proceedings, both parties have a duty to provide full and honest financial disclosure.
That includes relevant assets.
Bank accounts.
Investments.
Pensions.
Business interests.
Income.
And liabilities.
You cannot simply hide money because you do not want to share it.
And you cannot assume an asset is irrelevant simply because it is held in one person's name.
But proving that somebody has concealed assets can be complicated.
Particularly where businesses, overseas interests or third-party transactions are involved.
What Are the Warning Signs?
Sometimes there are obvious discrepancies.
An income that no longer supports the lifestyle previously enjoyed.
Unexplained payments.
Missing accounts.
Loans that nobody previously mentioned.
Business figures that do not make sense.
Or assets that seem to have been transferred elsewhere.
But you need to be careful.
A reduction in income does not automatically mean dishonesty.
A business can genuinely lose money.
And not every unusual transaction is evidence of concealment.
The important question is whether the financial information is complete, accurate and supported by documents.
Do Not Try to Investigate Everything Yourself
People sometimes become so convinced their ex is hiding money that they spend months trying to prove it.
They search through old paperwork.
Analyse hundreds of transactions.
Make accusations.
And become increasingly frustrated.
But financial remedy proceedings have procedures for obtaining further disclosure.
The court can require relevant information and documents to be produced.
What matters is knowing what to ask for.
Why you need it.
And whether the request is proportionate.
What Happens if Money Really Has Been Hidden?
Material non-disclosure can have serious consequences.
The court may draw adverse inferences from missing or unreliable financial evidence in appropriate cases.
And an existing financial order may potentially be challenged where material non-disclosure is established.
But none of that happens automatically.
You need evidence.
And you need to approach the issue properly.
How I Can Help
I am a former solicitor advocate with over 20 years' experience in family law.
I can help you consider your ex's disclosure, identify gaps and work out whether further questions or documents may be appropriate.
I can also help you focus on the issues that matter rather than spending money chasing every suspicion.
If there are business interests, unusual debts or disputed income, it is particularly important to understand the financial picture.
And where specialist financial evidence is required, I can help you understand why it may be necessary.
Final Thought
If you think your ex is hiding money, do not simply accept their figures.
But do not rely on suspicion alone.
You need evidence.
A clear understanding of the financial issues.
And a sensible strategy.
Book my ÂŁ195 Strategy Call, including written advice afterwards.
Find out what you can challenge, what evidence matters and how to move your financial case forward.
for straightforward, strategic advice from a former solicitor advocate.