Lok Kui, LPI, MA, MBA Twin Shields Consulting LLC – A Premier Global Investigative Firm
Several weeks ago a client asked us “find out how much money the debtor has in the bank.” The client’s concern was that the debtor was making more money than reported and underpaying child support. I told her what I tell everyone: that’s not what an asset search is, and anyone who promises to find and release banking information is overselling their services.
I’ve worked both sides of the judgment having served seven years with the federal courts, 20 years in federal law enforcement including supervising an asset forfeiture unit, I can share that following money is a skill. It is also a process with strict limitations. Clients deserve to know both before they subtmit a retainer.
What we can usually find
- Real property, including deeds, mortgages, and liens
- Business interests, UCC filings, and existing judgments
- Boats, aircraft, and other registered property
- Court and bankruptcy records
- Professional licenses
- Open-source (OSINT) research for public lifestyle indicators, such as vacation photos, a new car, and new jewelry posted by someone who just testified they can’t pay
That last one matters more than people think. A debtor’s own public posts have undone more “I don’t make very much money or have any assets” claims than any database.
What we can’t find
Bank balances, brokerage accounts, safe deposit boxes, tax returns, and cash. Obtaining financial institution information through pretext is illegal under federal law. If a vendor offers you bank balances for a flat fee, ask how they get them. The answer should concern you, because your case and your reputation are on the line along with theirs.
Where the real answer lives
Account information generally comes through legal process, such as court orders, subpoenas, and post-judgment tools your attorney can use to compel disclosure, or through the account holder’s explicit consent. Those tools only work once someone knows where to aim them. Often the starting point is something the client already has, like a canceled check, a payment record, or a contract showing where the debtor banks. Other times it comes from the debtor’s own testimony or responses to disclosure demands.
The investigator’s job is to develop everything around that. A good asset search tells your attorney which property exists, which businesses and entities are connected to the debtor, and where the debtor works, so counsel knows what other avenues are worth pursuing. Then the legal process, or a signed release, does what an investigator cannot.
What a good search delivers
A map for sound decision-making. You should come away knowing what the debtor owns, what they control through others, where the gaps are, and what to do next. Sometimes the best result is learning that a judgment isn’t worth pursuing, which saves you far more than the search cost.
Realistic expectations are the difference between a useful investigation and an expensive disappointment.
If you have a judgment you’re trying to collect, we would be happy to talk through what’s realistic. Learn more about our services: https://twinshieldspi.com/
A presto!
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