Your divorce is finally over, but you felt shocked and infuriated to receive a court order for far less than you expected in child support and alimony. You also knew there were assets your ex didn’t report to the court, leading to an unfair division of property. Nothing can be more frustrating than getting the short end of the stick. Unfortunately, people in Florida and elsewhere regularly hide assets during their divorce proceedings.
As we’ve discussed previously in this blog, hiding assets is illegal, but it can also be difficult to prove. There are ways that your spouse might be concealing assets, ranging from diverting funds to a hidden bank account to “giving” property to a friend until the divorce is final. Naturally, you would want to uncover your spouse’s dishonesty. With social media being prevalent in nearly every aspect of people’s lives today, this platform can provide valuable clues that your ex wasn’t truthful to the judge, including the following:
- Your ex has posted photos and status updates on Facebook alluding to a lavish purchase or a luxury vacation.
- Photos on your ex’s Instagram account show him sporting designer clothing or enjoying a new car or boat.
- Your ex frequently “checks in” online at expensive restaurants.
- Your ex’s LinkedIn account shows he has a more prestigious and higher-paying position than he reported to the court.
If you are blocked from seeing your ex’s social media accounts, you might ask a mutual friend you trust to keep an eye out for social media activity that looks suspect. Also, even if your ex blocked you, he may have some accounts that the public can see. For example, many people make their Instagram accounts public because there is the temptation to look cool and important to perfect strangers. He may also keep his public information up to date on LinkedIn for networking and employment purposes, believing you wouldn’t think to look there.
Spouses who conceal assets may be crafty, but with patience and diligence, there are often ways to find clues that you can present to the court.
