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, or asset tracing, 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 New Hampshire, forensic accountants play a crucial role in divorce litigation, particularly in cases involving high assets or significant property. Their expertise in uncovering financial fraud and manipulation is vital for ensuring an equitable division of marital property and the accurate determination of spousal and child support payments. New Hampshire is an equitable distribution state, meaning that marital property is divided in a manner that is fair but not necessarily equal. Forensic accountants assist in this process by tracing and identifying assets and income, which can include a wide range of financial instruments and property types. They follow the money trail to provide the court with a clear picture of each spouse's financial situation. The findings of a forensic accountant can be pivotal in cases where one spouse is suspected of hiding assets or underreporting income to influence the court's decisions on property division and support obligations. The use of forensic accountants in New Hampshire divorce cases is consistent with state statutes and federal law that govern the discovery process and the presentation of financial evidence in court.