You probably have more than one reason for wanting out of your marriage. If your spouse has not been forthcoming about finances, though, you might be a victim of financial infidelity. According to reporting from NBC News, financial infidelity can become toxic for any couple.
If your spouse has committed financial infidelity during your marriage, he or she might not suddenly decide to be truthful about money. Regrettably, ongoing financial infidelity can complicate your divorce in a few different ways.
Falsifying financial disclosures
When you go through the divorce process, you and your spouse must make certain financial disclosures. These disclosures should identify marital assets and debts. If your soon-to-be ex-spouse has a history of lying about finances, however, he or she might try to falsify the required financial disclosures.
Requiring you to investigate
You might instinctively know if your spouse is continuing to lie about marital wealth and debts. Still, to ensure you receive your fair share, you might have to take steps to uncover your spouse’s deception. For example, you may need to hire a forensic investigator to trace funds or even find hidden assets.
Refusing to negotiate
As you probably know, you can settle many divorce-associated issues outside of the courtroom. Nevertheless, if your spouse thinks he or she can get away with lying about money during your divorce, he or she might not be willing to negotiate with you. After all, negotiation might reveal your spouse’s financial dishonesty.
Ultimately, because you know how your spouse behaves when it comes to finances, you might want to prepare to deal proactively with any issues that stem from his or her continued financial infidelity.