When a Spouse Lies About Income to Avoid Paying Alimony

 Posted on June 18, 2024 in Alimony / Maintenance

Alimony, also known as spousal support or spousal maintenance, is a tool used to help spouses get financial support after a divorce. If one partner was a stay-at-home parent, for example, a judge will often order the other partner to pay that parent alimony for a period of time. Details of that order — such as how much time, how many payments, and how much alimony — are based on several factors. These include the needs and incomes of both parents.

Sometimes, spouses try to lie about their income to avoid paying alimony or to minimize the amount of spousal support they must pay. This is illegal and rarely goes undiscovered. If you think your spouse is lying about his or her finances, tell your Illinois alimony lawyer right away.

How Do I Know If My Spouse Is Lying About Finances?

It is not always easy to tell if someone is lying about finances during a divorce. Even when there appear to be discrepancies in a person’s story, there may be perfectly valid explanations. However, there are common signs that a spouse might be lying about his or her income or assets, such as:

• Living a luxurious lifestyle while claiming to have low income
• Having mail sent to a P.O. box instead of a residential address
• Taking trips to locations with attractive offshore banking laws, like Switzerland or the Cayman Islands
• Claiming that a business which was known to be successful is now failing
• Closing and/or opening bank accounts
• Making large and/or sudden purchases
• Hiding purchases
• An increase in cash transactions

Keep in mind that these actions are not necessarily proof that someone is lying about his or her income.

What Can I Do If I Think My Spouse is Lying About Finances?

Your attorney has certain legal tools at his or her disposal to determine if a spouse is lying to the court. These include asking for certain financial documents during the discovery process, which is a stage during the trial when both sides have the opportunity to request documents from each other.

Another option your lawyer might have is to cross-examine your spouse in a deposition. What your spouse says in the deposition will be considered testimony under oath. Lying under oath is a federal crime called perjury and can have serious consequences.

Contact a Kane County, IL Divorce Attorney

Lying about finances to avoid paying child support is a crime. However, be careful about making accusations if you are not absolutely sure your spouse is not telling the truth. The best thing to do if you suspect your soon-to-be ex is to consult a St. Charles, IL divorce lawyer. At Goostree Law Group have over 80 years of combined experience, so we are very familiar with the various ways spouses try to conceal their income. Our skilled attorneys know how to discover if someone is lying about his or her finances and we know how to defend yours. Call 630-584-4800 for a free consultation today.