If your spouse owns a business — or if you co-own one together — your divorce just got significantly more complicated. The business isn't just a job. It's potentially a marital asset, a hidden income source, and a leverage point all at once. And if your ex controls the books? You may have no idea what it's actually worth.In this episode, we sit down with Sara Nanchanatt, a forensic accountant and founder of SN Forensics in New York City, to break down exactly what a business valuation is, why it matters so much in divorce, and what you can actually do — right now, and often for free — to start building your financial picture even when your ex isn't cooperating.About Sara Nanchanatt:Sara Nanchanatt is a forensic accountant and the founder of SN Forensics, a forensic accounting firm based in New York City that works remotely with clients across the United States. Sara and her team specialize in divorce-related financial analysis, including business valuations, income available for support calculations, and uncovering financial manipulation by business-owning spouses. Sara brings a practical, cost-conscious approach to forensic accounting — her firm offers multiple levels of service, from streamlined "indication of value" analyses used in mediation all the way to full court-ready expert reports. Her goal is always to make sure that whatever you spend on financial analysis actually makes sense given the value of what's at stake.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction: Business and divorce — why it's uniquely complicated01:20 - Sara introduces herself and SN Forensics02:05 - When one spouse doesn't have access to the business financials: what to do03:10 - The "check your mail" strategy for identifying unknown financial accounts03:45 - What IRS tax transcripts are, how to get them, and why they matter05:00 - What a business valuation is and why courts care about it05:50 - How forensic accountants identify income hidden in business expenses06:40 - "Instant poverty syndrome": when the business mysteriously loses money before divorce07:30 - What happens when tax fraud surfaces in a divorce proceeding08:20 - Using business valuations as leverage to push your ex toward settlement09:10 - Service businesses and the "discount for lack of marketability"09:50 - Free spousal labor in a business — and why it may not protect you in court11:00 - Types of valuation: back of the envelope, indication of value, and full expert report12:00 - How to find Sara Nanchanatt and SN ForensicsConnect with Sara Nanchanatt:🌐 Website: snforensics.com 📸 Instagram: @snforensics (brand new — reach out directly with questions)📸 Follow BTGO on Instagram: @been_there_got_out 📖Read our blog: BeenThereGotOut.com/blog#DivorceFinances #BusinessValuationDivorce #ForensicAccountant #HiddenAssets #HighConflictDivorce #DivorceStrategy #CoOwningBusinessDivorce #InstantPovertySyndrome #DivorceCoach #FinancialAbuse #NarcissisticAbuse #DivorceAdvice #BeenThereGotOut

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related