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 South Carolina, forensic accountants play a crucial role in divorce proceedings, particularly in cases involving high-net-worth individuals or complex asset portfolios. State law requires an equitable division of marital property, which includes assets and debts acquired during the marriage. A forensic accountant's expertise in tracing and uncovering financial fraud or manipulation is instrumental in ensuring that all marital assets are properly identified and valued. This financial investigation helps to provide an accurate accounting of the couple's finances, which is essential for determining equitable division, as well as for calculating spousal and child support obligations. The use of forensic accountants is not regulated by specific statutes in South Carolina; however, their findings can be used as evidence in court to support claims of hidden assets or financial misconduct. The court may also consider the impact of any discovered financial improprieties on the division of assets and the determination of support payments.