Hide & Seek: Divorcing Spouses Track Digital Dollars
Couples contemplating a divorce are cautioned to speak with a divorce lawyer before they resort to electronic cyber-snooping on a spouse. An article in today’s Wall Street Journal, titled Why Hiding Money From Your Spouse Has Gotten a Lot Harder, identifies a number of ways that an angry spouse can get into legal trouble.
According to the article,
“To get an idea of just how widespread financial mischief is, consider a couple of surveys. According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, 31% of U.S. adults who combined assets with a spouse or partner say they have been deceptive about money, and 58% of these adults say they hid cash from their partner or spouse.
The numbers also confirm that technology is playing a growing role in uncovering that double-dealing. In 2010, 81% of the members in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers said they had seen an increase over the past five years in the use of evidence from social-networking sites. This year, 92% said that over the past three years, they have seen an increase in the number of cases using evidence taken from smartphones.
Part of the reason electronic discovery is booming is that more people are using technology to hide assets in the first place. They set up covert business deals using text messages or social networks, for instance, or figure out ways to create cash hoards online.”
Before giving in to temptation to clandestinely become an online sleuth, talk to your attorney. There are many online research techniques that, when used properly by a skilled forensic professional acting within legal guidelines, can provide valuable insight into a spouse’s potentially illicit financial activity.
Contact a Fort Lauderdale Divorce Attorney
If you have questions about a divorce, or suspect that your spouse is hiding assets, contact Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney Marcy Resnik. You can contact her online or call her at 954-321-0176.
