However, many of the more complicated cases in this ever complex and changing area of law do.
Typically, a party involved in a marital dissolution may be reluctant to hire another professional to the individual’s divorce team until the party understands the forensic accountant’s value. For example, the efforts of a forensic accounting firm can pay off immensely by protecting the settlement from a spouse’s dishonest actions, or improper valuation of a business or other assets. Our expertise in financial analysis, accounting, auditing principles and investigation enable us draw conclusions that result in equitable divorce settlements.
Some of the reasons to hire a Forensic Accountant to assist on a divorce case include, when:
- When unreported or underreported income is an issue
- When one or both of the spouses is self-employed
- When one of the spouses has separate property claims
- When temporary and permanent spousal and child support are an issue
- When a determination of the marital lifestyle is required
- When accounting for reimbursements, tracing, allocation, apportionment and characterization of assets is needed
- When a valuation of a business interest is required
- When determination of business, executive or professional goodwill is needed
- When there has been a commingling of funds (See v. See)
- When there are reimbursement claims for post-separation maintenance of community assets (Epstein)
- When the community has made payments on a separate property residence (Moore/Marsden)
- When an apportionment of community business is necessary (Pereira/Van Camp).
Your attorney and you may call on us to perform in one or several of the areas mentioned above. We can also take on additional tasks, such as review of property agreements, participate in mediation or negotiations, or provide expert witness testimony. Regardless of the services we are called on to deliver, you can count on us to pay close attention to detail, practice thorough organizational skills, and employ professional skepticism and judgment. We will conclude with a clearly written, easily understandable, concise report that complies with all professional standards within the deadline provided to us.