How Are Assets Uncovered in Texas Divorces?

 Posted on March 17, 2025 in Complex Property Litigation

Dividing up your marital estate can feel like an impossibly complicated task. One of the main purposes of the discovery process is to give both parties a full understanding of their total assets. When done correctly, discovery can let you negotiate for a more favorable share of assets or spousal support. If the process is rushed, you could be deprived of significant assets in your marital estate.

At Powers Kerr & Rashidi, PLLC, our Texas divorce lawyers can guide you through the discovery process to get a complete picture of your marital estate. We can also answer questions from your spouse’s lawyer about any assets you may own. As board-certified family law attorneys, we are ready and qualified to handle your concerns in a complex divorce.

Interrogatories

Interrogatories are a direct way of getting answers from your partner about his or her assets. In this discovery method, you can send your partner up to 25 written questions about anything pertaining to your case. For instance, you might ask:

• How much do you have saved up in your retirement accounts?

• What is your annual salary?

• What debts are you dealing with?

You can also press for specific information, like financial statements or certain transactions. However, if a question requires too much work to answer, like pulling multiple years’ worth of receipts, your partner may not be required to answer.

Requests for Production

A Request for Production, or RFP, is a discovery tool that can be used to uncover important documents that would impact spousal support or property division. Some of these important documents may include insurance policies, pay stubs, tax returns, or income statements.

Any Request for Production must be relevant to the case at hand. Additionally, it must be reasonably available for your spouse to produce. Once you send an RFP, your spouse must answer with the requested documents within 30 days. At Powers Kerr & Rashidi, PLLC, we can send a Request for Production to your spouse’s lawyer to ensure that the process goes smoothly.

Depositions

A deposition is a very involved form of discovery that involves interviewing a third party for information. In a deposition, your attorney can ask questions of a witness, whose answers are then written down by a court reporter. A witness’s statements in deposition are given under oath and can be used as evidence in court.

Witnesses in a deposition may include family members, friends, employers, colleagues, or other people with insights about your spouse. Your spouse can also be made to answer questions in a deposition. To get a clear picture of your marital estate, you might ask about your spouse’s other investments or bank accounts.

It is worth mentioning that deposition can get tense. If you feel like your spouse’s attorney is asking invasive or irrelevant questions, we can object on your behalf.

Meet With an Austin, TX Family Law Attorney Today

Divorces are full of unknowns. At Powers Kerr & Rashidi, PLLC, we can help you get a clear idea of your marital assets through the process of discovery. Call us at 512-610-6199 to schedule a consultation with our Travis County, TX divorce lawyers today.