Income & Lifestyle Analysis - Family Court Accountant
Expenditure versus declared income analysis to identify undisclosed resources and establish true standard of living.
Where a self-employed or business-owning spouse controls their declared income, lifestyle analysis compares evidenced expenditure against what they say they earn. A sustained gap suggests undisclosed resources or extractable business income.
Family court accountants build expenditure schedules from bank and card records, assess earning capacity and notional income, and present findings suitable for maintenance, Schedule 1, or capitalisation arguments.
Methodology
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Expenditure schedule | Build schedule from bank and credit card statements |
| Income comparison | Compare total expenditure against declared income |
| Gap analysis | Quantify the shortfall suggesting undisclosed resources |
| Notional income | Assess earning capacity and extractable business income |
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Frequently asked questions
What is lifestyle analysis in divorce proceedings?
A lifestyle analysis compares the actual expenditure of the parties during the marriage, established from bank statements and credit card records, to the income declared by the financially stronger party. Where declared income is significantly lower than actual expenditure, this evidences undisclosed income or capital being used to fund the lifestyle.
How does a family court accountant investigate hidden assets?
Lifestyle gaps often trigger wider investigation: cross-referencing Financial affidavit against bank statements, analysing company drawings, and tracing unexplained inflows or asset transfers that fund expenditure above declared income.
What is the difference between a court-appointed joint expert and a party-appointed expert in family proceedings?
A court-appointed joint expert (joint expert) is appointed by the court and jointly instructed by both parties, producing one report for the court. A party-appointed expert is instructed by one side only, typically reserved for very high-value or highly contested cases.
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