Understanding the Role of Forensic Accountants in High Net Worth Divorces

 Posted on May 11, 2023 in Divorce

When high-net-worth individuals go through a divorce, significant assets are often at stake. As a result, this can make the divorce process much more complex than for an average household. It can also make the divorce process more contentious, with both parties fighting for their fair share. Because of this, if you are going through a high-asset divorce, you need to understand that identifying all the assets involved can be challenging. Luckily, however, that is where forensic accountants come in. 

Today, we will discuss the relevance of forensic accountants in high-net-worth divorces. If you are about to go through a high net-worth divorce, it is in your best interest to be aware of how a forensic accountant may be in handy as you move through divorce proceedings. Work with your divorce attorney to decide whether a forensic accountant may be relevant to your case.

What Are the Roles of Forensic Accountants? 

Forensic accountants are professionals who are tasked with identifying and analyzing financial data in order to provide insights into a variety of financial disputes. Forensic accountants may be called upon to investigate issues such as hidden assets, undervalued assets, and income discrepancies in the context of high net-worth divorce. 

One of the critical roles of a forensic accountant in a high-net-worth divorce is to uncover hidden assets. In many cases, a spouse may attempt to conceal assets to avoid dividing them with the other spouse. This may include offshore bank accounts, investments, real estate, and other valuable assets. Forensic accountants are highly skilled in identifying these hidden assets using data analysis, asset tracing, and document review techniques. 

Another key role of forensic accountants is to help value complex assets. High net-worth individuals often own a variety of assets that can be difficult to value, such as businesses, patents, trademarks, and real estate holdings. To ensure that each spouse receives a fair and equitable division of assets, it is crucial to value these assets accurately, and forensic accountants are highly proficient in doing just that. Income discrepancies can also be a contentious issue in high-net-worth divorces. One spouse may attempt to reduce their spouse’s share of the settlement. A forensic accountant can help uncover discrepancies in income and ensure that both spouses receive an accurate assessment of the total income available for division. 

Finally, forensic accountants may be called upon to provide testimony in court. In a high-net-worth divorce, there can be significant disagreement over how assets should be divided. Forensic accountants can provide analysis and testimony to support their findings and help the courts reach a fair conclusion.

DuPage County Divorce Attorney

For more information on how a forensic accountant may assist you in your divorce, contact the experienced Wheaton Divorce lawyers with The Stogsdill Law Firm, P.C.. Call 630-462-9500 for a private consultation. 

Source - https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/forensicaccounting.asp