A forensic accountant is generally an accountant with expertise in detecting financial fraud or manipulation in personal and business tax returns, bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, broker accounts, offshore accounts, cash, cryptocurrency, jewels, art, cars, yachts, airplanes, real estate, life insurance policies, and related financial documents. This financial investigation work is often referred to as tracing, financial tracing, asset tracing, or forensic accounting, and generally involves “following the money” by tracing a piece of financial information or data back to its source.

In divorce litigation—and especially in high-asset or high-net-worth divorces in which there is significant marital or community property—any financial manipulation or fraud of personal or business finances may have a significant effect on the marital or community property that is available for division, and on spousal support and child support payment amounts. One or both spouses in a divorce may hire a forensic accountant to discover any hidden assets or manipulated financial documents that may prevent the court from having an accurate accounting of the marital or community property assets and the spouses’ incomes.

In Nevada, forensic accounting is a critical tool in divorce litigation, particularly in cases involving high-asset or high-net-worth individuals. Nevada is a community property state, meaning that all assets and debts acquired during the marriage are considered jointly owned and are typically divided equally in a divorce. A forensic accountant's role is to conduct a thorough financial investigation, often referred to as tracing, financial tracing, asset tracing, or forensic accounting, to ensure that all marital assets are properly accounted for. This includes examining personal and business tax returns, bank and investment accounts, retirement and broker accounts, as well as tangible assets like cash, cryptocurrency, and luxury items. The goal is to uncover any hidden assets or financial manipulation that could affect the equitable division of property, as well as the determination of spousal and child support payments. By 'following the money' back to its source, forensic accountants help to provide the court with an accurate picture of the couple's finances, which is essential for a fair resolution in the divorce proceedings.