Divorce Cases: Uncovering Critical Information in Tax Returns and Financial Statements

This CLE course will provide family law counsel with strategies to utilize tax returns and financial statements during a divorce case. The panel will focus on appropriate discovery methods to obtain information, explain how to get the most out of your analysis of tax returns and financial documents, and outline the best approaches for using financial experts.

Tax returns and financial statements contain valuable information to develop financial strategies during a divorce case. Family law counsel must identify and leverage critical financial details in financial documents and personal and business tax return schedules.

Specific line items can provide counsel with the basis for drafting discovery requests to obtain critical information regarding the marital estate's financial resources. This information is also necessary to frame financial strategies and potential resolution strategies.

Counsel may need to work with financial professionals or forensic accountants to review business financials, including balance sheets, income statements, statements of cash flows, general ledgers, and accountant work papers. Counsel should be well versed in ways to maximize the use of financial experts in the case.

Listen as our panel discusses the complexities of discovering critical information through analyzing tax returns and financial documents and identifies best practices for using accountants and other financial professionals.