If my spouse has a bank account in another country, does it count in our Illinois divorce?

Yes, if it was opened or funded during the marriage. Under 750 ILCS 5/503, marital property includes assets acquired by either spouse during the marriage, with no exception for where the asset is held. A foreign bank account funded with marital money is treated the same as a domestic one. Your attorney can identify and value that account through the discovery process, including through documents your spouse is required to produce under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 13.3.1.

What if my spouse refuses to disclose accounts they have overseas?

Illinois courts take financial nondisclosure seriously in high-asset cases. Under 750 ILCS 5/501, both spouses must exchange sworn financial statements disclosing all assets, including foreign ones. If your spouse omits foreign assets, a judge can adjust the property division in your favor, order your spouse to pay your attorney fees, or hold them in contempt. Your attorney can also subpoena tax return copies or tax transcripts in certain scenarios, which may include federal reporting forms listing foreign accounts your spouse was required to report each year.

Can an Illinois judge make my spouse hand over property located in another country?

Yes, with an important distinction. An Illinois court has authority over your spouse, not over foreign banks or foreign governments. A judge can order your spouse to transfer, sell, or repatriate foreign assets. Refusing that order carries serious legal consequences, including contempt of court. Enforcing a judgment directly against property in another country is more complicated and may require legal steps in that jurisdiction.

What if I find out after the divorce is final that my spouse was hiding foreign accounts?

It may be possible to reopen the case. Illinois courts treat deliberate concealment of assets in divorce as fraud on the court, and relief may be available under 735 ILCS 5/2-1401. Whether reopening is viable depends on when you discovered the information, what evidence you have, and how the concealment affected your settlement. If you are in this situation, contact a divorce attorney as soon as possible. Time matters.

Do we need attorneys in two different countries if we own property abroad?

Not always, but sometimes yes. Your Illinois divorce attorney manages the overall legal strategy and the Illinois proceeding.. Transferring title on foreign real estate or enforcing a court order in another country can require someone licensed in that jurisdiction. Your attorney will determine when local foreign counsel is necessary and coordinate that support as part of your case.

My spouse recently moved money to a foreign account. Is that allowed?

Transferring marital assets to a foreign account during or just before a divorce can be treated as dissipation of marital assets under 750 ILCS 5/503(d)(2), meaning the intentional depletion of marital funds to reduce the other spouse's share. Courts take this seriously. Document what you know and contact a divorce attorney immediately. A court can order funds returned or adjust the property division to account for what was moved. For more on how Illinois handles this issue, see our article on dissipation of marital assets in Illinois.

Author: Jessica Marshall

International Assets in an Illinois Divorce: What Chicago High-Net-Worth Spouses Need to Know

Posted By Jessica Marshall

Published May 19, 2026

Categorized as High Asset Divorce

Divorce is complicated enough when all of your finances are in one place. When accounts, real estate, or business interests sit in another country, the process becomes far more difficult. That is true whether you are the spouse who just learned your partner has been holding assets overseas, or the spouse who has always managed

Protecting the Family Business in Divorce

Posted By Jessica Marshall

Published May 8, 2026

Categorized as Divorce, High Asset Divorce, Property Division

When divorce involves a family business, the stakes extend well beyond the two spouses. Other family members may own shares. Partners who had nothing to do with the marriage now face uncertainty about the future of their business. And the divorcing spouse may have devoted years to building something that cannot simply be split down

Domestic Violence and Child Custody in Illinois

Posted By Jessica Marshall

Published April 29, 2026

Categorized as Child Custody

If you are living with domestic violence and worried about what it means for you and your children, you are not alone. You may be wondering whether the court will believe you, whether your children are safe, or whether leaving will make things worse before they get better. Those fears are real, and they deserve

Social Media Missteps in High-Net-Worth Divorce Cases: Avoiding Costly Mistakes

Posted By Jessica Marshall

Published April 23, 2026

Categorized as Divorce, High Asset Divorce

With texting, email, and Facebook Messenger rising in popularity as methods of communication in relationships, so is their use as divorce evidence. Chicago divorce attorneys used to look for evidence in files, notebooks, ledgers, memos and photo albums. Now, we also look at emails, text messages, Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and even Pinterest

How Social Media, Text Messages, and Digital Evidence Can Affect Your Illinois Custody Case

Posted By Jessica Marshall

Published April 20, 2026

Categorized as Child Custody

If you are going through a custody case in Illinois, the texts you have saved, the social media posts your co-parent made last month, and the voicemails sitting on your phone could all play a role in the outcome. Digital evidence is now central to how family courts evaluate parenting fitness, credibility, and the best

Dividing Retirement Accounts in Divorce: A Comprehensive Guide for Illinois

Posted By Jessica Marshall

Published April 9, 2026

Categorized as High Asset Divorce, Illinois Divorce, Property Division

Dividing retirement assets is one of the most critical financial aspects of divorce proceedings in Illinois. Because retirement accounts often make up a significant part of marital assets, dividing them can be legally complex. Without proper handling, mistakes in this process may cause tax penalties, financial insecurity, or unfair asset distribution. In Illinois, retirement accounts