how to locate hidden bank accounts?

[burnedman]

My wife apparently decided to divorce three years ago, and prepared by hiding money. She now claims poverty, but probably has over $200,000 stashed away. My Massachusetts attorney doesn't seem to know anything about discovering bank accounts. If I convince the court that she is hiding assets, is it possible to obtain a court order to search for unknown bank accounts opened with her social security number? Can this search include other states? How is it done and by whom?

Thanks for your advice

[jumbledone]

Um...

1. Drop your attorney. One that is frozen at how to start looking for hidden assets is not one I'd want.
2. CPA and/or PI to piece together the pieces. A good lawyer should have people they work with regularly that can do that work. It Could get expensive, but if there is 200k hidden, bingo.
a. Although she will need to show where money has gone, and if she can't prove where it went, she most likely owes you for half of it, however, good luck cashing that check.

[Chris A]

Good chance it is in another's name too! Might not find it

[Trevor]

My X has been tucking lots of money into her father's account; people have ways of slipping things past the goalkeeper. And my guess is that women who get caught doing this are significantly (maybe too weak a word here) less likely to be held accountable for the deceit than would men.

[blueTexas]

There's companies that will conduct asset searches. Google "how to discover financial assets." My ex was quoted a fee of $200.

[jumbledone]

A forensic CPA should be able to track it to a point. It may disappear as it will be moved as cash, but where that trail goes cold, and you can prove it goes cold, and in what amounts, legally she will need to account for it.

As Chris A said, she might be less excorciated than a guy would have been had he been squirreling assets away.

[burnedman]

If I obtain a court order for banks to disclose accounts opened in her SS number, and to provide bank records over the past three years, can I take this document to a bank and ask them to search their records? I'm sure they will charge some fee.

As I have evidence of hiding assets, can I get a court order like this?

[Trevor]

You would have to subpoena the records. Have your lawyer do that so you don't waste the opportunity on a prodecural mishap.

[Kodiak]

Bank accounts should show up on a credit report if it is under her real social security number. All you need is some way to get legal access to the credit report.

[Trevor]

Investment, savings, and checking accounts are nothing to do with credit. I have never seen any of this on my credit reports in my life.