Financial infidelity is one of the most common reasons for divorces in the United States. This is what a forensic accountant investigates in a divorce. A survey conducted by CreditCards.com revealed that 12 million Americans keep financial secrets from their partners. One of the most significant forms of financial infidelity is having a secret bank account. If you’re curious whether your husband has a hidden account, this blog post is for you. We’ll explore some ideas to help you find out if your husband has a secret bank account without confronting him.
Signs of a Secret Bank Account
It’s an expectation for married partners to be transparent with their lives and especially finances. However, if your husband has a secret bank account, that is a red flag worth looking deeper into. Here are the three main signs that can help you determine if your husband is hiding a secret bank account.
Sudden Changes in Financial and Lifestyle Habits
One of the telltale signs of a hidden bank account is a change in spending habits. Have you noticed that your spouse or significant other is suddenly spending money on things they did not previously show an interest in? This could indicate that they are diverting funds to a separate account. You can also look at sudden changes in daily routine, such as unofficial trips or late-night work. These everyday changes can indicate a hidden account for which they may be using the money.
Unexplained Withdrawals
You might notice unexplained bank withdrawals if your joint account has been depleted rapidly despite your and your partner’s spending habits remaining relatively unchanged. These withdrawals might indicate that extra funds are being withdrawn since an undisclosed stash of cash is being kept separately.
Secrecy about Finances
Have you ever noticed your partner dodging questions about their finances? In a marriage, full transparency about finances is expected. However, any strange behavior or secrecy about finances is telling, as if there is something they don’t want to disclose. It’s good to have honest conversations with your partner about finances to avoid the chances of financial infidelity.
Online Banking and Electronic Traces
A digital footprint is a trail of data left behind by individuals when they use electronic devices. Professionals can trace this data to uncover personal, financial, and behavioral information about an online user. Such traces can include emails, text messages, social media posts, web browsing history, mobile app usage, and online banking. If you wish to uncover hidden assets through electronic traces, you need to work with a forensic accountant or licensed investigator.
Forensic accountants can use electronic traces to track how people have used their devices to access their bank accounts. By analyzing such activities, forensic accountants can conclude whether the account holder has been hiding financial transactions or assets.
How to Find Out if Your Husband Has a Secret Bank Account
The first step to finding out if your husband has a secret bank account is to look for evidence. The evidence doesn’t need to be conclusive; it simply needs to be able to spark an open and honest conversation about both of your finances. While looking for evidence of a secret account is reasonable, it’s important to stay within the boundaries of the law. Illegal actions will only worsen your situation.
It’s also important to avoid jumping to accusations, as an undisclosed account does not mean it was kept from you for malicious purposes. It could be an old, forgotten account or an emergency fund for both of you that he didn’t disclose for unknown reasons. Here are some ways you can investigate if your husband has a secret bank account.
Review Joint Bank Account Statements
It is illegal to access your husband’s credit report or separate bank account without the proper explicit permission or authorization. However, you can review your joint bank account statements for anything that is suspicious, like recurring transfers, deposits from unfamiliar accounts, or unusual withdrawals.
Look Over Joint Tax Returns
It’s common for married couples to have joint tax returns. This can be useful because you can legally review the tax return to see if there is any evidence that your husband has a secret bank account. You can look for undisclosed accounts that earned interest or dividends, unfamiliar financial institutions, or other financial assets you may not recognize.
Submit a Legal Request
In more complex cases like divorce, you can file a legal request through an attorney. Legal requests like a subpoena can compel financial institutions to release information about certain accounts. It’s important, however, that you consult with a legal professional before taking any action.
Work with a Professional
Forensic accountants are trained to analyze financial data and trace online transactions. They combine their accounting background with investigative skills to uncover any discrepancies or potential fraudulent behavior. Forensic accountants can also be useful in divorce cases, where they can help identify and distribute all assets in an equitable manner. These experts can typically be found in the government, law enforcement, and private cybersecurity firms like Cyber Investigation Inc. Another option is to work with a private investigator.
Hiring a private investigator is an expensive and extreme solution. Still, it may be the only way to confirm if your husband has a secret bank account. A private investigator can subpoena bank records, track down offshore accounts, and search for any hidden assets that could be a cause for concern. However, this option may not suit everyone, and the costs can add up quickly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, finding out if your husband has a secret bank account may be difficult. Getting to the bottom of it takes time, effort, and much investigative work. Remember to be patient; if you have any doubts, don’t be afraid to seek advice from a professional such as a forensic accountant or use online resources. By following these steps and discovering the truth, you can move forward with clarity and understanding in your relationship.
