Asset Investigations

The asset search is used to reveal the financial profile of an individual or business. The asset search can be useful in matters involving litigation and in general business law. There are several degrees of the asset search, from a basic search of public records to very thorough extensive asset investigations, which can reveal concealed assets.

 

If you have a civil judgment from a law suit or are thinking about filing a civil law suit but are unsure if the defendant is judgement proof, we are here to help you find assets, even concealed assets including property, vehicles, employment, bank accounts, business ownership and more, and give you the information needed to collect on that judgment.

      There are hundreds of reasons why you might consider hiring a private investigator to locate assets. Here are the 10 most common reasons clients contact us to locate assets:

1.  Prior to Filing Civil Actions – Does a party have enough assets to pay for damages??? Prior to spending extensively you must decide if the party has assets to cover the potential damages or awards. You may have a very good case against someone but if they have no insurance and no assets to pay a judgment there may be no point in going through the expense of litigation. A pre-litigation will spare the expense of a pointless trial. No matter how badly you may have been wronged, filing a lawsuit does you no good if the person you’re suing doesn’t have any money. Even if you win, the defendant won’t be able to pay the judgment!
 
2. During the Course of Civil Action – After filing for civil action, opposing party claims poverty. A detailed asset search might reveal concealed assets or assets transferred to other parties prior to litigation.
 
3.  New Investment – If you’re about to trust a partner with something as important as your business, you need to make sure your potential partner deserves that trust. What if you find out he’s hiding assets and other information from you? Do you really want to get into business with someone who isn’t being completely honest? Prior to investing, an asset investigation should be completed to obtain verification the investment is sound. One of the biggest red flags indicating an investment fraud is an investment manager living beyond his or her means.
 
4.  Due Diligence/Pre-Employment –Performing due diligence on applicants is one of the most effective tool to assist you hiring the right candidate. Numerous studies by both government and civilian agencies indicate that more than fifty percent of all resumes contain false or exaggerated information.. The mere fact that the applicant knows that an independent contractor will check any information on his application, tends to produce a more factual statement of the applicant’s information.
 
5.  Internal Corporate Investigations – The purpose of an investigation is to gather facts so that an organization can make an informed conclusion as to what happened in an adverse incident. If someone is thought to have violated a policy, guideline, or the law, conducting an effective investigation helps the organization reach a conclusion that is based on the most accurate facts that have been attained. Having accurate facts are the basis of a sound, legal conclusion.
 
6.  Lending Money – Prior to a financial institution or private party providing a loan, identifying assets to support the financial health of the party may be the key to recovering assets if the borrower defaults in his financial obligations.
 
7.  Divorce Proceeding – The finances involved in a divorce can often become rather complicated. It is not uncommon for a spouse to hide assets that would be open to dispute. An asset search of the party being divorced is very important to be certain that all assets are accounted for. This may be necessary in the case of hidden assets prior to marriage or assets attained during marriage without the spouses knowledge.
 
8.  Judgment Recovery – Getting a court-ordered judgment is the first and easiest step, but enforcement of that judgement is your responsibility and finding assets in which to collect from is a different story. Asset searches may provide you with the assets in which to file against to recover damages.
 
9.  Child Support Collections – You may have a judgment for child support but the ex refuses to pay and will not maintain employment, or so you cannot garnish their paycheck. An asset search can uncover hidden business interests, stocks, and secret bank accounts. Sometimes the search will include employment information as well.
 
10.  Disputes Over Wills and Probates – As painful as the death of a loved one can be, the situation can get even worse if the estate tries to hide assets from the will’s beneficiaries. If you think that the decedents will hasn’t listed everything, you’ll need to conduct a hidden asset search to find out what’s really going on. This often resolves the disputes between heirs.

 

A standard asset search investigation will likely locate property, real estate holdings, vehicles, bank accounts, trust accounts, businesses and even PayPal accounts. It can divulge a wealth of information and when used in conjunction with subpoena powers, a forensic accountants, appraisers, attorneys, or other professional can solve every one of the issues listed above.