Jeffery Porter, CPA - Forensic Accounting Specialist

Expert Financial Advice Divorce Services

Income AnalysisMore often than not, in cases of marital dissolution, emotions are running high. I often work on cases where settlement comes quickly but, when one side is not cooperating, it can be a heated and drawn out process. Good team work, by competent professionals, can help bring these matters to a close more quickly.

The role of the forensic accountant in a divorce can be quite diverse. Generally his or her job is to analyze, explain and simplify financial issues for the spouses, legal counsel and/or the court. It is often said that forensic accountants help to “put the puzzle together” or “unravel the knot”. Nowhere is this more often the case than in divorce.

This situation exists largely because marriages often last decades and issues regarding finances can go back to before the marriage, and can be complex. A spouse making a separate property claim, relative to assets brought to the marriage, can involve an extensive analysis of financial records to prove the claim. Forensic accountants are often the professionals who analyze the decades of financial records to prove or disprove such claims.

The tasks I have performed in family law cases include:

  • Analysis of business income
  • Business valuations
  • Stock option analysis and division
  • Life style analysis
  • Tax planning considerations
  • Review and comment on the work of opposing experts
  • Investigate allegations of misappropriation of assets
  • Assist with discovery