Bad idea to start hiding money without an attorney's advice.

I asked if anyone knew Florida divorce law

Hire an attorney - not for the divorce - but to ask the attorney this question.

Have prefaced..." Of course! My friend will be consulting an attorney...of course...but in the meantime. Any knowledgeable Florida divorce people out there ?

Divorced...but I could take anything I want out of my personal savings today and give it to people at the subway station if I wanted to. So the minute the partner says I want a divorce is that magic point ? The point the partner has rights to it?

in many situations.

spending the money and secreting it away to have after the divorce without the spouse's knowledge.

Laundering thing is fascinating..

Can explain something we couldn't wrap our brains around. How was he benefitting from those pumped up invoices for air conditioners ? Was the seller in on it ? Couldn't grasp the money laundering trail

Florida divorce law why did u click in this ? Not being mean just wondering why anyone would think there would be no lawyer involved ? Big duh.

But when I saw that you were asking a message board if your friend should commit what looked to me like a crime, I felt I should speak up.

I'll leave it at that.

Oh, and hire a great attorney and not try to be all nicey nice about it.

My main concern would be him emptying joint bank accounts and running up the balances on any joint credit cards or closing the accounts. If I was in a similar situation I would pay off joint credit cards, if at all possible, and pay some bills in advance" like mortgage payments etc, all from the joint account. If their house needs any big repairs, like a new roof, those should be taken care of now too. Should she keep the house she wouldn't want to be stuck with those big bills to pay all by herself. She could then take half the balance of any joint accounts and open her own account.

It certainly couldn't hurt to go to her bank and let them know, in no uncertain terms, that he CANNOT withdraw money from her individual account. Of course she could close the account and open one elsewhere and he wouldn't know about it.

Mid life crisises can be expensive.

Yes - savings only in her name. Very good suggestion about informing the bank !

Very interesting what you mention about home repairs. On one hand, it increases equity which you will have to split....but on the other hand, if you stay, you won't have to finance the improvement later.

One part of the story I left out...is that my friend has always been the main provider. He is a musician - and like many musicians - they become "married" to the notion that some day their ship will come in. So you start out when you are young and in demand - and never get educated/trained on anything else. Then you age, and no one wants to hire you in music and you have no other skills.

She has built a real estate business on her own - and savings - and now - after all the years of pretty much supporting him he's gonna get half - and even wants alimony. All legal - but seems so unfair. Guess she allowed it though.