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Forensic Accountant for Divorce in Austin, Texas
When a marriage ends, the numbers rarely tell the whole story on their own. A spouse who wants to keep more than their share can move money, understate income, or quietly shift value out of a business long before anyone files. Our forensic accountant for divorce in Austin finds what's been hidden and puts a defensible number on it, so your settlement reflects what the marital estate is actually worth.
Sage Investigations is a licensed Texas investigation firm (PSB #A10803) led by Edmond Martin, a former Special Agent with the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. We bring the same asset-tracing methods used in federal financial-crime cases to divorce work in Austin and across Central Texas. If you suspect your spouse isn't being honest about money, we can help you prove it. Call 512-659-3179 or request a free consultation.
What Does a Forensic Accountant Do in a Divorce?
A divorce forensic accountant investigates the financial side of a separation and translates what they find into evidence your attorney can use. In practice, that means tracing where money came from and where it went, separating community property from separate property, valuing assets that don't have an obvious price tag, and testing whether the income a spouse reports matches the lifestyle they actually live. It's the same forensic accounting discipline used in fraud and financial-crime cases, applied to the marital estate.
The work matters most in three situations: when one spouse controlled the finances and the other was kept in the dark, when a closely held business or professional practice is part of the estate, and when the money involved is significant enough that a hidden account or a lowballed valuation could cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you're weighing whether it's worth it, our guide on what to know before hiring a forensic accountant walks through when it pays off. In each case, the goal is the same: replace suspicion with documentation.
How to Find Hidden Assets in a Divorce
Uncovering concealed money is where our background sets us apart. Most forensic work is done by CPAs who read the records they're handed. As former federal investigators, we know how assets get hidden in the first place, which is exactly what it takes to find them.
Spouses typically hide assets in a handful of predictable ways: routing income through a business to make it disappear on paper, overpaying the IRS or a "friendly" third party so the money can be recovered after the divorce, deferring bonuses or commissions until the case closes, moving cash into custodial or offshore accounts, and undervaluing property, collectibles, or company stock. Knowing the playbook is half the battle.
Our hidden-asset investigations combine forensic accounting, public and proprietary records research, and our own DIO analysis software to reconstruct the full financial picture from bank, brokerage, and credit-card activity. We follow the money across accounts and entities, flag transactions that don't add up, and document each finding so it holds up in court. If assets have been moved out of reach, we build the trail that brings them back into the settlement.
Business Valuation in Divorce
When a business is part of the marital estate, its value is often the largest and most disputed number in the entire case. An owner-spouse has every incentive to make the business look less profitable than it is: accelerating expenses, delaying revenue, adding phantom liabilities, or paying salaries to people who don't really work there. It gets thornier with a closely held business, where there's no public market price to anchor the value.
Sage provides independent business valuation for divorce that stands up to scrutiny. We analyze the company's books, normalize owner perks and one-time items, examine the real cash flow, and arrive at a supportable valuation using accepted methods. Whether you own the business, your spouse does, or you share it, you get a number grounded in evidence rather than optimism, and an expert who can defend it if the case goes to trial.
Income and Expense Analysis
Support and property division both depend on an honest picture of what a spouse earns and spends. When someone's self-employed or paid partly in cash, that picture is easy to distort. We reconstruct actual income from bank deposits, credit-card spending, and lifestyle evidence, then compare it against what's been reported. When the spending consistently exceeds the stated income, that gap is your leverage, and we document exactly where it is.
Expert Witness Testimony for Divorce Cases
Findings only help if they survive the courtroom. Ed Martin has testified as a financial expert and prepares every engagement to be defensible under cross-examination. We produce clear, exhibit-ready reports and provide expert witness testimony that explains complex financial trails to a judge in plain language. We work alongside your family-law attorney from the discovery stage through trial, so the analysis and the legal strategy stay aligned.
Why Choose Sage Investigations
Three things set us apart from a typical forensic CPA:
Federal investigative background. Our work is led by Edmond Martin, a former IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent. We approach a divorce estate the way we once approached financial-crime cases: assuming money can be hidden, and knowing how to find it.
Licensed Texas investigators. As a licensed investigation firm (PSB #A10803), we can lawfully pursue avenues a straight accounting engagement can't, combining forensic accounting with investigative research.
Discretion and results. Divorce is personal. Every engagement is handled confidentially, and our focus is a single outcome: giving you and your attorney the documented facts you need to reach a fair settlement.
Serving Austin and Central Texas
Sage Investigations is based in Austin and works with individuals and family-law attorneys throughout Central Texas, including West Lake Hills, Round Rock, Cedar Park, and Georgetown. Because our analysis relies on records rather than location, we also support high-asset divorce cases statewide and in federal matters. Wherever your case sits, you get an Austin-based team you can meet with in person.
Talk to a Divorce Forensic Accountant Today
Sage Investigations gives clients across Austin and Central Texas a forensic accountant for divorce who can trace hidden assets, value a closely held business, and defend the numbers in court. If you think your spouse is hiding assets, understating income, or undervaluing a business, the sooner we start, the more we can trace. Call 512-659-3179 or text 512-377-6613 for a free, confidential consultation, or contact us online to discuss your case.
Suspect your spouse is hiding assets? Let's find out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for a forensic accountant in a divorce?
It depends on the situation and the court. Often the spouse who hires the forensic accountant pays initially, but in Texas a judge can order the cost split between both parties or paid from community funds, especially when the investigation uncovers hidden assets or misconduct. Many clients find the fee pays for itself several times over through a more accurate settlement.
How much does a forensic accountant cost for a divorce?
Cost varies with the complexity of the estate. A single hidden account is far less involved than valuing a business and tracing years of transactions. Most divorce engagements are billed hourly, and we'll give you a clear scope and estimate at your free consultation so there aren't any surprises.
When should I consult a forensic accountant in my divorce?
As early as possible. The sooner a forensic accountant's involved, the more transactions can be traced before records go stale or assets are moved further out of reach. If you already suspect hidden money or a disputed business value, consult one before finalizing any agreement.
What does a forensic accountant do in a divorce?
They trace and value the marital estate: locating hidden or undisclosed assets, distinguishing community property from separate property, valuing businesses and complex holdings, verifying reported income, and providing expert testimony to support your case in court.
