"The Secret Life"

Honesty is key in any relationship. Typically, being married is suppose to be one of the happiest times in your life. There is no reason to hide anything. Lies always snowball, you tell one lie then you have to tell another lie to cover up the original lie. Usually while going through a divorce it's hard to hide your assets if you have a good attorney. However, there are some cases where overseas or off-shore accounts can be disguised. Cash is the best way to hide excess money. Here eleven examples of how bending the law works at its best:

1. Collusion with an employer to delay bonuses, stock options or raises until after the divorce. You might find this information by taking the deposition of your spouse's boss or payroll supervisor, but more likely you'll need a forensic accountant.
2. Salary paid to a nonexistent employee. The checks will be voided after divorce. Again, you might find this information by taking the deposition of your spouse's boss or payroll supervisor, but you'll probably need a forensic accountant.
3. Money paid from the business to someone close--such as a father, mother, girlfriend or boyfriend--for services never rendered. The money will no doubt be given back to your spouse after the divorce is final.
4. A custodial account set up in the name of a child, using the child's Social Security number.
5. Delay in signing long-term business contracts until after the divorce. Although this may seem like smart planning, if the intent is to lower the value of the business, it is considered hiding assets.
6. Skimming cash from a business he or she owns.
7. Antiques, artwork, hobby equipment, gun collections and tools that are overlooked or undervalued. Look for lush furnishings, paintings or collector-level carpets at the office; income that is unreported on tax returns and financial statements.
8. Debt repayment to a friend for a phony debt.
9. Expenses paid for a girlfriend or boyfriend such as gifts, travel, rent or tuition for college or special classes.
10. Investment in certificate "bearer" municipal bonds or Series EE Savings Bonds, which do not appear on account statements because they are not registered with the IRS. (The government is phasing out these bonds, realizing that it is losing a lot of money..
11. Cash kept in the form of traveler's checks. You may be able to find these by tracing bank account deposits and withdrawals.

According to William M. Michaelson, "In most instances, effective searches require analyzing numerous financial documents and specific transactions, reviewing public and private records and discovering relationships and patterns among the data that indicate the existence of additional assets."

Relating this to a personal situation, I am currently in Florida for softball with my parents who are going through a divorce right now. Brining this topic up in front of them definitely started a heated conversation, but surprisingly they agreed at the end of the argument. Something like this they both said would never happen. "Whats mine, is yours!"

Images are from flikr.