Sometimes divorcing spouses or sparring former business partners illegally hide assets to prevent their fair division. And fraud perpetrators almost always try to hide their ill-gotten gains. In such cases, sociological information — gathered as part of a lifestyle analysis — can be almost as revealing as financial data. Here’s what forensic accountants examine when they’re on the hunt for hidden assets. Starting with numbers Forensic accountants usually start with numbers. For example, an expert typically reconstructs the subject’s income by analyzing bank deposits, canceled checks and currency transactions, as well as accounts for cash payments from undeposited receipts and non-income cash sources, such as gifts and insurance proceeds. A forensic expert also usually analyzes the subject’s personal income sources and uses of cash during a given time...
