divorce services

More often than not in marital dissolution matters emotions are running high.  The lack of trust that often exists between the parties carries through to other aspects of the divorce.  This manifests itself in the parties no longer believing the other spouse’s representations about just about any aspect of the divorce.

Generally, it is the job of the forensic accountant is to analyze, and simplify the financial issues for the parties, their legal counsel and/or the court.  It is also common to see one of the two spouses having greater knowledge than the other relative to the specifics of family’s financial life. A forensic accountant can help level the playing field because of their education, training and experience with financial matters and their familiarity with financial issues in the context of a divorce.

The role of the forensic accountant in a divorce can be diverse.  In just one case alone there can be issues relative to stock options, restricted stock units, income/cash flow available for support, rental properties, primary residence, investments in securities, businesses, retirement assets and more.  Overlaying the division of these types of assets can also be issues dealing with community and separate property interests from assets owned before marriage or from inheritance.

Your forensic accountant should be familiar with all these issues and more.

 

Client comments:

“I can’t speak highly enough of the professional services I received.” – M.C.

“So many women are usually financially devastated after the end of a marriage. I am so grateful I am going to be OK in that area and it’s because you looked out for me.” – S.D.

“Just wanted to say “thank you” for your time and efforts in helping me keep my home in Encinitas.” – K.M.

“Thanks for all of your help in bringing my divorce to a close” – E.S.

“Thank you for your assistance with the financial aspect of the dissolution of my marriage.  Once the divorce process entered the court, after having spent way too much money on legal fees, your assistance and expertise simplified the situation.”  – D.S.

“I wanted to express my deepest gratitude for the outcome of the support hearing today.  I appreciate the hard work and collaboration of the three of you; your cohesiveness, strength of expertise and strategic mindset allowed me to achieve what I never thought was possible, given the history.

Though I never mentioned it, from the beginning, I was in awe of the dynamic exchange of every bit of information and the solutions that all three of you (legal counsel and forensic accountants) developed.   While the battle isn’t over, I feel more comfortable that I have l of you on my side advocating for me.” – D.P.

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practice areas

  • Assets tracing
  • Assisting in preparation of Income and Expense and Asset and Debt disclosure statements
  • Analysis of disclosure statements
  • Calculation of community and separate property interests
  • Development of settlement plans/options regarding the division of assets
  • Moore/Marsden Calculations
  • Calculation of income available for support
  • Locating undisclosed/omitted assets
  • Analysis of business income
  • Business valuations
  • Stock option analysis and division
  • Life style analysis
  • Tax planning considerations
  • Review and comment on the work of opposing experts
  • Investigate allegations of misappropriation of assets
  • Assist with discovery

 

Case Examples:

Example 1:

After four years of struggling with their spouse, a potential client approached us dissatisfied about conclusions reached by other financial experts regarding their spouse’s income available for support and value of the community owned business.  Our analysis of the business’s financial records, never reviewed by the previous experts in the case, identified over $800,000 in undisclosed reimbursable expenses and over $2 million in additional sales all of which were collected. The discovery resulted in an increase in the value of the community business, as well a greater amount of cash flow available for support as well as assets to be divided.  The case settled before trial.

Example 2:

Working closely with counsel and the client in the diligent review of thousands of pages of records we were able to identify a scheme by the client’s spouse to shift income to a third-party friend as well as to hide income by their solicitation of customers to defer payment of undisclosed and outstanding invoices thereby reducing their income.  The case settled before trial.