Server's Corner

What Is Involved in Asset Discovery?

Here at Roland Investigations we’ve noticed many of our clients are confused about investigations involving assets. We want to rectify that because asset discovery is a crucial step in financial investigations, legal disputes, divorce proceedings, or estate planning. It involves locating, identifying, and assessing the value of an individual’s or entity’s assets. So understanding the process of asset discovery is essential to ensuring transparency, fair asset distribution, and accurate financial accounting. Here’s an overview of what’s involved in asset discovery.

Locating Assets

The first step in asset discovery is to locate all assets owned by an individual or business to ensure that none are overlooked during financial settlements or legal actions. These assets may include:

• Tangible Assets: Physical items like real estate, vehicles, jewelry, or artwork.
• Financial Assets: Bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, stocks, and bonds.
• Business Interests: Ownership stakes in companies, shares in partnerships, or other business-related assets.
• Digital Assets: Cryptocurrency, digital art, online accounts, and intellectual property.
• Hidden Assets: Assets that individuals or entities may try to conceal, including offshore accounts or assets transferred under other names.

Identifying Ownership

Once assets are located, it’s essential to identify who holds ownership over them. Assets can be held individually, jointly, or through business entities and trusts. Sometimes, assets are hidden under other people’s names to avoid discovery. Properly identifying ownership involves:

• Reviewing titles, deeds, and registration documents.
• Investigating trust agreements and corporate records.
• Tracing asset transfers to determine if ownership was transferred intentionally to hide assets.

Uncovering the true ownership of an asset is crucial, especially in cases like divorce, bankruptcy, or lawsuits, where asset division or seizure is involved.

Valuing Assets

Once assets are located and ownership is confirmed, the next step is to assess their value. Accurate valuation is key for equitable division in divorce proceedings, estate settlements, or legal disputes. The value of tangible and intangible assets can fluctuate over time, so it’s important to use up-to-date valuation methods. Common ways to value assets include:

• Appraisals for real estate, collectibles, or artwork.
• Market value assessments for stocks, bonds, and investments.
• Professional evaluations for business interests or intellectual property.
• Tax assessments or historical purchase prices for reference.

In some cases, experts may need to be brought in to value highly specialized assets, like rare antiques or patents.

As you can see, asset discovery is a complex and critical process that plays a role in many legal and financial matters. From locating and valuing assets to investigating hidden holdings, the process ensures that all assets are accounted for, preventing fraud or deception. We want this information to sink in, and if you are planning an asset discovery please contact us and we would be more than happy to help. Next month’s article will delve more into why asset discovery is so important.

By Roland Process Service & Investigations Staff 10-1-2024