How Can a Business Owner Hide Assets During Divorce?

 Posted on May 30, 2019 in Divorce

There are many ways that spouses attempt to hide marital assets from their wives or husbands. Methods can be as simple as stashing cash in a secret safe deposit box or transferring funds to family members or friends with the intent to recover them once the divorce is finalized. Other methods are somewhat more complex, such as creating offshore bank accounts or asking an employer to delay a large bonus or salary increase until after divorce.

Not only does hiding assets affect the division of property during divorce, but it can also affect child support payments and alimony. A husband or wife that successfully conceals marital property can end up getting away with tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars that would have otherwise been distributed to their spouse or used for child support.

Business owners are at a great advantage when it comes to hiding assets during divorce, because there are dozens of ways that significant assets can be concealed. In many cases, a person may attempt to devalue the business, which is the same as stealing money from their spouse.

Unlawful Methods of Devaluing a Business

Small businesses do not always have small profits. In fact, 49 percent of full-time business owners have sales between $100,000 and $1 million per year. Some methods that business owners may use to attempt to reduce the value of their business include:

• Failing to Report Cash Payments—A business owner that receives cash may hide these unreported earnings in a safety deposit box or a secret bank account.

• Creating a Fake Employee—A spouse may pay a salary to an employee that does not exist, with plans to void those paychecks at a later time.

• Prepaying Expenses—A business owner may make payments in advance for certain expenses, such as employee benefits, office supplies or furniture, or raw materials, with the intent of reducing the business’s bottom line.

• Overpaying Taxes—A spouse may pay more in taxes than is actually owed, in hopes of receiving a large refund after the divorce has been finalized.

• Welcoming Debts—A business owner may allow clients to defer payments until after the divorce is finalized in order to reduce the income earned by the business.

Reach Out to a DuPage County Hidden Asset Attorney

Do not let your spouse cheat you out of your fair share of marital property or use unlawful methods to reduce their child support or spousal maintenance payments. Hold them accountable by hiring an experienced divorce attorney. Here at the Andrew Cores Family Law Group, our attorneys are skilled at uncovering hidden assets, and we will ensure that you receive the marital property and financial support you deserve. Call our Wheaton divorce attorneys today at 630-871-1002 to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefflanders/2012/11/14/what-are-the-consequences-of-hiding-assets-during-divorce/#7bde61b7190c

https://www.businessknowhow.com/money/earn.htm