Travis County, TX · Free Consultation
Wells Branch, TX High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer
What Our Clients Say
When one spouse hides, gives away, or burns through community money, Texas law does not simply shrug. In Wells Branch, SMB Law, PC pursues claims for fraud on the community so a wronged spouse is made whole. A Wells Branch high net worth divorce lawyer knows Texas allows a fraud-on-the-community claim when a spouse hides or wastes marital money. Shane has been licensed since 2003 and personally pursues reimbursement so a wronged Central Texas spouse is made whole.
Wells Branch spouses sometimes discover, too late, that community savings drained away during a failing marriage — and want to know whether the law can put it right.
Where a Wells Branch high-net-worth divorce is handled
Wells Branch is in Travis County, so the divorce is filed with the Travis County District Clerk at the Civil and Family Courthouse on Guadalupe Street in Austin.
Fraud on the community and wasted assets
When a spouse spends, conceals, or transfers community assets to keep them from the other, Texas law treats it as fraud on the community, and courts have a powerful remedy. Classic examples include money lavished on an affair, savings gambled away, assets quietly handed to a friend or relative to hold, or debt run up to drain the estate. If a court finds a spouse committed actual or constructive fraud on the community, it can reconstitute the estate — calculating what the community would have been worth without the waste — and then award the wronged spouse a larger share of what remains, or a money judgment, to make up the loss. The key is proof: showing the transfers or spending, tracing where the money went, and distinguishing genuine waste from ordinary living expenses. We help Wells Branch clients build that record so a court can see the full picture and restore what was taken.
Proving dissipation and reconstituting the estate
A fraud-on-the-community claim in Wells Branch is an accounting case as much as a legal one. We gather the bank and credit-card records, spot the unusual transfers and withdrawals, and trace where community money actually went — to a third party, a secret account, or simply up in smoke. Then we quantify the harm so the court can reconstitute the estate: what the community would have held but for the waste, and what share of the remainder makes the wronged spouse whole. Not every unwise purchase qualifies, so we focus on genuine dissipation rather than ordinary spending a court will excuse. Where assets were parked with a friend or relative, we consider bringing that person into the case. Done thoroughly, this work can recover a great deal of value in a high-asset divorce — and it signals to the other side that hiding money will not work.
Working with us from Wells Branch
Our office is about 12 miles south in downtown Austin via I-35 and Mopac. We handle most Wells Branch high-net-worth divorce matters by phone, video, and e-signature. For how property division fits into a Texas divorce generally, see our Austin divorce lawyer page.
At SMB Law, PC you work directly with attorney Shane M. Boasberg, who has represented Texans for more than two decades and has been licensed by the State of Texas since 2003. We explain complex financial issues in plain English, bring in the right experts, and keep you informed from your first confidential consultation through final resolution. Our high-asset divorce lawyers in Austin, TX page explains how we handle business interests, executive equity, and separate-property tracing.
Why clients choose SMB Law, PC
- Direct attorney access — you talk to Shane, licensed since 2003, not a call center.
- Honest advice — if a fight is not worth the cost, we say so.
- Transparent fees explained before you commit.
What working with us looks like
- Confidential consultation to understand your goals and the law that applies.
- Strategy and records tailored to your situation.
- Negotiation or court — we settle when we can and litigate when we must.
- Resolution implemented correctly so you can move on.
Frequently asked questions
What is fraud on the community in Texas?
It is the improper spending, hiding, or transfer of community assets by one spouse to deprive the other of their share.
What happens if my spouse hid or wasted community money?
A court can reconstitute the estate as if the waste had not occurred and award you a larger share or a money judgment to offset the loss.
Can I recover if my spouse spent money on an affair?
Money spent on an affair can be constructive fraud on the community, and proving it can increase your share of the remaining estate.
Where is a Wells Branch high-net-worth divorce filed?
With the Travis County District Clerk at the Civil and Family Courthouse on Guadalupe Street in Austin.