When Your Spouse Controls All the Money: How To Protect Your Rights In A Fort Lauderdale Divorce

It’s hard to feel secure when one person controls the money. If your spouse handles all the accounts and limits your access to funds, it can leave you feeling powerless, particularly if a divorce is on the horizon.

Financial control is a common problem in troubled marriages. Fortunately, in a divorce, Florida law ensures both spouses have the right to full financial disclosure. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyer is a strong ally on your side. We uncover hidden assets, establish temporary support, and ensure the process is fair from the start.

Recognizing Financial Control in a Relationship

When money becomes a tool of control rather than partnership, it often shows up in specific behaviors. In addition to creating problems during your marriage, it can jeopardize your rights in a Fort Lauderdale divorce.

Wondering whether financial control is an issue in your marriage (and Broward County divorce proceedings)? Watch for the following:

• You have limited or no access to joint accounts or credit cards.
• Your spouse monitors every expense or refuses to share bank passwords.
• You are kept in the dark about investments, income, or debts.
• You follow an allowance-style “budget” where one partner dictates spending.
• You get threats or guilt trips about money when you raise concerns.

Full disclosure in a Fort Lauderdale divorce helps ensure an equitable division of assets under the Florida Statutes. If your spouse refuses to provide it, your lawyer can request discovery, subpoenas, or court orders to obtain the truth.

How to Protect Yourself Financially During Your Fort Lauderdale Divorce

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) warns that financial control is a common form of abuse. Even if you don’t feel your spouse’s behavior rises to this level, control issues surrounding money or assets can jeopardize your rights in Broward County divorce proceedings. To protect yourself financially, take these steps:

• Gather copies of financial records, including bank statements, pay stubs, tax returns, and insurance documents.
• Open your own bank account, so you have funds for your personal needs.
• Track household expenses to show the amount needed to support yourself.
• Check your credit report for accounts opened in your name without consent.
• Request temporary alimony and payment of legal fees to provide a more equal footing during Broward County divorce proceedings.

Judges take these cases seriously. If your spouse intentionally withholds access to money, the court can order temporary relief or impose penalties for noncompliance.

To Protect Yourself Financially, Contact Our Experienced Fort Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer

You deserve to feel secure, both financially and emotionally. If your spouse controls the money, our experienced Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyer can help protect your rights and get what you are entitled to in a divorce settlement or final court order.

At Vanessa L. Prieto Law Offices, we help clients throughout Broward County uncover hidden assets and get the financial support they need. Give us a call or contact our office online. Request a confidential consultation today.

Sources:

leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0061/Sections/0061.075.html

nnedv.org/content/about-financial-abuse/