My Soon To be Ex Is Spending Our Money On His New Girlfriend – What Can I Do?!
The divorce and separation processes are already tough times for many people. Divorce and separation often come with changing the family dynamic, moving houses and even cities, states, or countries, handling stressful financial issues, and processing difficult emotions that are raw and new. In addition to these tough issues that come up in the divorce and separation process, the entrance of new romantic partners also can take center stage. Sometimes when a soon-to-be ex enters a new relationship, they shower their new romantic partner with lavish gifts, take them on trips, and splurge in various ways that can be alarming to the other soon-to-be ex-spouse. Those who are in the midst of a separation may wonder if their soon-to-be ex appears to be spending marital money and assets on their new romantic interest if there is anything that can be done. The answer is yes.
Dissipation of Marital Assets: What it is and What to do About it
Picture this: your soon-to-be ex-spouse takes his new girlfriend on a lavish trip to Paris, complete with a 4-star hotel, room service, and a shopping spree; or the wife that you have separated from due to her gambling addiction spends a fortune of marital assets in Las Vegas at the roulette table. Is there anything that you can do? The answer is that this is called “wasting marital assets” and there are remedies for this conduct under Chicago divorce laws.
Wasting marital assets occurs when one soon-to-be ex-spouse uses marital assets for their own benefit, and not for the benefit of the other spouse. If one soon-to-be ex-spouse has wasted marital assets, and this can be proven to the court, this can be considered by the court in its analysis and determination of how to distribute marital property and assets. This could include the court ordering the spouse that has wasted the marital assets to reimburse the other spouse. This is a powerful tool that can be used during the divorce process to ensure that marital property and assets are distributed equitably.
If you are in Chicago and you believe that your soon-to-be ex-spouse is wasting marital assets, there are two steps that you should take immediately to protect your assets and your rights. First, you should gather evidence that will show that the marital assets are in fact being used to solely benefit the other spouse (or their new romantic interest). Secondly, you should contact an experienced Chicago asset dissipation lawyer.
If you are in the Chicago area and you would like to speak to a skilled and experienced attorney about asset dissipation in your separation, contact the law offices of Birnbaum Gelfman Sharma & Arnoux, LLC. They offer a confidential consultation to learn about your Chicago divorce case and the details of the asset dissipation to see if they can help you fight for your rights. Contact Birnbaum Gelfman Sharma & Arnoux, LLC today and speak to a lawyer about your rights under Chicago divorce laws.
