Marriages in San Diego often involve property in Mexico, accounts overseas, foreign business interests, or income earned abroad, and each of those assets may need to be identified, disclosed, valued, and addressed during the divorce.
Contreras Law Firm represents clients in San Diego divorces involving foreign assets, making sure international property is found, valued, and divided the way California law requires. If you have any questions about foreign assets and need help getting what is rightfully yours, reach out today to schedule a free consultation.
What Contreras Law Firm Brings to Complex International Divorces
International asset cases reward firms with experience, persistence, and the resources to see them through. We offer:
- More than 15 years of experience with the demands of high-stakes, document-intensive divorce litigation.
- We prepare every case as though it may ultimately be resolved at trial, giving us leverage during settlement negotiations and readiness if litigation becomes necessary.
- FLARPL availability in appropriate cases. A Family Law Attorney Real Property Lien lets you fund your case and protect your rights instead of settling for less because of finances.
You should never accept less than your share of the marital estate because the other side made finding it difficult, and with our firm, you won’t have to.
Why Divorces Involving Foreign Assets Demand an Attorney
When marital property crosses borders, a divorce becomes a case most attorneys, let alone unrepresented spouses, are not equipped to handle. Here’s why deeply experienced, professional help is so important:
- Overseas accounts, real estate, and business interests must be identified, valued, and disclosed, and a spouse hoping to hide assets abroad may be counting on no one knowing how to look.
- Foreign property raises questions of jurisdiction, enforcement, and coordination with laws of other countries that directly affect what you receive.
- California’s community property rules still apply to international assets, but applying them takes an attorney who knows how to bring those assets into the case.
The outcome of a foreign asset divorce often depends on identifying every marital asset and presenting reliable evidence of its value, and that is what an attorney is there to do.
What Constitutes a Foreign Asset?
A foreign asset is any property, account, or financial interest held outside the United States, and in a divorce, the category is broader than most people expect. It includes bank and investment accounts at foreign institutions, real estate in another country, ownership interests in foreign businesses, overseas retirement and pension accounts, trusts established under another country’s laws, cryptocurrency held on foreign exchanges, and valuable personal property kept abroad.
How California Divides Foreign Assets in a Divorce
California’s community property rules don’t disappear just because assets aren’t in the United States. Property acquired during the marriage is generally community property regardless of where it’s located; a condominium in Mexico, an account in Europe, or a business interest in Asia is subject to division just like assets held in San Diego.
The practical challenges are different, though. Foreign assets must be valued in their local market, currency fluctuations affect what a share is worth, and dividing or transferring the asset may involve the laws of the country where it sits.
What Happens if a Spouse Hides Assets Overseas?
Both spouses in a California divorce owe each other complete financial disclosure, and that duty covers assets everywhere in the world. A spouse who conceals foreign accounts or property is violating court obligations, and the consequences can be severe.
California courts have broad authority to impose significant remedies when a spouse intentionally conceals community assets. Depending on the circumstances, a court may award a greater share, or in some cases, all of a concealed asset to the other spouse, along with other financial sanctions authorized by law.
Contact a San Diego Foreign Asset Divorce Attorney Today
If your divorce involves property outside the United States, or you suspect your spouse has assets you haven’t been told about, the time to address it is before the divorce is final, not after. Contreras Law Firm can evaluate your situation, explain how foreign assets fit into a California divorce, and pursue the full share you’re entitled to. Contact our firm today so we can help you get your fair share of the marital estate.