Forensic Accounting for Divorce Engagements : a Practical Guide; Ezra Huber
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University of Mississippi eGrove American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Guides, Handbooks and Manuals (AICPA) Historical Collection 2005 Forensic accounting for divorce engagements : a practical guide; Ezra Huber Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_guides Part of the Accounting Commons, and the Taxation Commons Recommended Citation Huber, Ezra, "Forensic accounting for divorce engagements : a practical guide;" (2005). Guides, Handbooks and Manuals. 120. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_guides/120 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Historical Collection at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Guides, Handbooks and Manuals by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Forensic Accounting for Divorce Engagements: A Practical Guide SECOND EDITION by Ezra Huber, Esq. Donald A. Glenn, CPA/ABV, CVA, CFE Forensic Accounting for Divorce Engagements: A Practical Guide SECOND EDITION by Ezra Huber, Esq. Donald A.Glenn, CPA/ABV, CVA, CFE Notice to Readers Forensic Accounting for Divorce Engagements: A Practical Guide, Second Edition presents the views of the authors and others who helped in its development. This publication has not been approved, disapproved, or otherwise acted upon by any senior technical committees of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Therefore, the contents of this publication, including recommendations and suggestions, have no official or authoritative status. Adapted from the first edition by Ezra Huber, Esq. Copyright © 2005 by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Inc. New York, NY 10036-8775 All rights reserved. For information about the procedure for requesting permission to make copies of any part of this work, please visit www.aicpa.org. A Permissions Request Form for e-mailing requests and information on fees are available there by clicking on the copyright notice at the foot of the AICPA homepage. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 PP 0 9 8 7 6 5 ISBN: 0-87051-612-4 About the Authors EZRA HUBER, ESQ. Ezra Huber, Esq., is an admitted attorney in New York and California and has over 20 years’ experience in the field of financial and asset protection planning. He is a prolific author of books and articles, and is a frequent speaker on a wide variety of financial and legal matters throughout the country. His publications include the first edition of A CPA’s Guide to Forensic Accounting for Divorce Engagements, upon which this current work is based. DONALD A. GLENN, CPA/ABV, CVA, CFE Donald A. Glenn is a Certified Public Accountant, Accredited in Business Valuation by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Certified Valuation Analyst, and Certified Fraud Examiner with over 30 years’ experience. He is a partner with Glenn & Dawson, LLP, in Walnut Creek, Calif. (www.forensiccpa.com.) He is frequently a court-appointed expert in California Superior and Federal Bankruptcy Courts. Mr. Glenn was the founding chair of the California Society of CPAs’ Family Law Section and author of the California Society of CPAs’ Family Law Workshop course. He is a member of the national standards committee of the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, and has served on the national board of directors of the Institute of Management Accountants and the state board of directors of the California Society of CPAs. Mr. Glenn also served on the technical review panel and as an expert for the California Board of Accountancy. Mr. Glenn is a nationally known lecturer to judges, attorneys, CPAs, and other groups on forensic accounting, and has written numerous articles. He was the first recipient of the California Society of CPAs’ state Family Law Section’s “Distinguished Service Award” for his contributions to Family Law Forensic Accounting. Comments or questions regarding the subject matter of this book may be forwarded to Mr. Glenn at his e-mail address at [email protected]. iii Table of Contents Chapter 1 Why Is Forensic Accounting So Important? ..................................................... 1 The Setting........................................................................................................................ 1 The Role of the Forensic Investigator............................................................................. 3 Establishing Professional Relationships With Matrimonial Attorneys .................... 3 Expectations of the Forensic Expert ......................................................................... 4 The Engagement Process........................................................................................... 5 Cooperation of the Parties......................................................................................... 6 Agreeing to the Engagement..................................................................................... 7 Fee Structure............................................................................................................... 8 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 Matrimonial Actions and Property Division: Understanding the Procedures ........................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 11 Basic Matrimonial Litigation Procedure....................................................................... 11 The Preliminary Phase of the Lawsuit..................................................................... 11 The Discovery Process .............................................................................................. 14 Distribution of Marital Property.................................................................................... 15 Community Property................................................................................................ 15 Equitable Distribution.............................................................................................. 16 Prenuptial Agreements............................................................................................. 17 Summary .........................................................................................................................18 Chapter 3 How to Investigate Business Assets ............................................................... 19 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 19 The Role of the Forensic Accountant in Evaluating the Business............................... 19 Overview of Different Types of Business Entities ................................................... 20 Beginning the Investigation........................................................................................... 22 Obtaining the Necessary Documentation............................................................... 23 v What Documents Should You Begin With? .................................................................. 24 Business Tax Returns................................................................................................ 24 Business Agreements and Contracts........................................................................ 25 Books and Records of Corporate Ownership ......................................................... 26 Company Financial Statement................................................................................. 27 Appointment Book................................................................................................... 28 Documentation Duality............................................................................................ 29 Loan Documents ...................................................................................................... 33 Insurance Papers ...................................................................................................... 34 Bank Records ............................................................................................................ 35 Financial Statement Manipulation .......................................................................... 36 Summary .........................................................................................................................36 Chapter 4 How to Examine and Analyze Specific Transactions and “Red Flags” to Watch For............................................................................................................... 39 What Is at Stake .............................................................................................................. 39 Salary ............................................................................................................................... 39 Capital Investments and Withdrawals ........................................................................... 41 Evaluating the Propriety of Otherwise Legitimate Business Writeoffs........................ 43 Automobiles .............................................................................................................. 43 Travel and Entertainment........................................................................................ 45 Personal Expenses Written Off on the Business....................................................