When a marriage is in trouble, it's not unusual for one of the spouses to be hiding money. This can simply be how a spouse has been operating during the marriage, or it can be a reaction to an impending divorce.
If you're on the brink of divorce and have a feeling that your spouse is hiding money from you, you're not alone. Here are some tips to help you catch your spouse in the act, or relieve you of your worries.
Are there any new accounts?
Keep an eye on the mail and check for bank statements and credit card statements that are in just your spouse's name. You don't need to open them, take a note of the bank's information on the envelope.
Are there any ATM receipts with an unfamiliar bank? Or, are there any ATM receipts with the last four digits of an account that you don't recognize? If so, this could mean there's a new bank account.
Look Into Credit Card Payments
Look through your spouse's credit card statements for overpayments. Let's say that a credit card statement had a balance of $150, but your spouse made a $4,000 payment on that account. Now your spouse has $3,850.00 of spendable cash.
Carefully Analyze Bank Statements
A close look at bank statements could reveal some red flags that your spouse has been hiding money. Look for any wire transfers or electronic payments to accounts that you aren't familiar with.
Also, check the credit card statements to see what bank account the payments are coming from. If the payments aren't coming from your joint checking account, then do some detective work to find the other bank account that's paying the bill.
Lastly, check for any PayPal accounts or hefty withdrawals that you weren't informed about ahead of time, as these too can raise red flags.
