When to Hire a Forensic Accountant in a Florida Divorce
Business valuation, imputed income, and asset tracing are three moments when a forensic accountant substantially changes the outcome of an equitable distribution case.
A forensic accountant is not necessary in every Florida divorce. When one of three conditions is present, however, retaining a qualified expert early is typically a significant net benefit: closely held business interests, income that is inconsistent with lifestyle, or complex tracing of non-marital funds.
Business valuation drives equitable distribution and often alimony. The choice of methodology — income approach, market approach, or asset approach — and the treatment of enterprise versus personal goodwill can shift the marital estate by six or seven figures.
For imputed income cases, the forensic analysis reconstructs actual cash flow from bank records, credit card statements, and third-party payments. That record is what the trial court needs to make a defensible imputation finding on the record.
Retaining an expert well before mediation — not after impasse — is one of the highest-leverage decisions a party can make in a complex case.