Protecting Your Financial Welfare During a Divorce
Posted on Mar 21, 2014 4:49pm PDT
Divorce is a complex legal process and it is imperative that you retain
competent legal representation to ensure your rights remain protected
and that your family's welfare is not jeopardized.
The following recent news illustrates this:
This month, a California businessman who hid assets during his divorce
to avoid paying child support has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.
The man also had to pay a $50,000 fine and forfeit assets worth more than
$2.8 million.
According to authorities, this concealment was more than financially motivated,
it was personally motivated. In an angry e-mail to his wife, the defendant
told her he was going to file for bankruptcy and that she would get nothing.
Think your spouse might try to hide assets from you?
One way to protect yourself and to ensure you get the assets/ financial
support you deserve, is to keep a thorough record of your finances. Obtaining
accurate information about your spouse's income can greatly affect
whether or not you receive an appropriate award of spousal maintenance
(alimony) and child support. It can also affect division of assets. While
some marital assets are obvious, others are not.
You need to determine what you own, what you owe and gather proof of income.
It is advised you collect items such as the following:
- Bank Statements
- Pay Stubs
- Credit Card Statements
- Records of Mortgage Payments
- Vehicle Titles/Insurance Information
- Records of Big Purchases/ Vacations
- Records of Debts Owed
- Income Tax Returns
- Copies of Deeds, Wills and Trusts
- Pictures of Assets Located in the House
Gather whatever information you can and a family law attorney can help
you gather the rest through the discovery process.
Retain Our Experienced Legal Representation Today
At Debra J. Kay Attorney at Law we have the qualifications you can depend
upon, throughout the difficult journey ahead. With more than 25 years
of experience behind us and with a certified family law specialist among
our staff members, we can guide you through this process in as clear and
stress-free of a manner as possible.
For a free consultation and to secure the quality legal services you deserve,
do not hesitate to
contact our office today!