“Here’s what I can tell you.
The financial picture is more complicated than a straightforward infidelity case.
The co-signed lease creates a joint liability.
The undisclosed savings account, depending on when marital funds were used to seed it, may be considered a marital asset.
The nine thousand nine hundred in rent payments, if drawn from marital income, is potentially dissipation of marital assets.”
“Dissipation,” I repeated.
“Using shared money to fund an affair.
Courts take it seriously.” She looked at me over her glasses.
“You have documentation?”
“He gave me a list of accounts.
I have the lease he showed me.
I have the school sign-out logs — I photographed them.”
“Smart.” She made a note.
“I want to be clear about something.
You don’t have to file anything today.
You don’t have to file anything at all.
What I’m doing right now is making sure you understand your position so that whatever you decide, you decide it with full information.”
“That’s all I want,” I said.
“Then here’s your full information.” She folded her hands.
“If you choose to work on the marriage, you should still formalize the financial disclosure.
A postnuptial agreement, properly drafted, would require him to account for all assets and give you legal protection going forward.
