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Following a divorce, there are a few reasons why it can be legally significant when your ex moves in with a new partner, even if they are not married.

If you have been ordered to make alimony payments to your ex-spouse, you are legally absolved from any further payments if your ex remarries or cohabits with a new partner. Frequently, ex-spouses will try to game the system, so to speak, by moving in with a partner who supports them, without marrying them, while simultaneously claiming to still be single, and in need of your monthly alimony payments.

Do you need hard proof that your ex is cohabiting with somebody new? Let Cowan Investigations help you restore your peace of mind. In the meantime, take a look at the steps involved in proving cohabitation through the eyes of a certified P.I.

1. Surveille the Scene
During the investigation, the end-goal is to provide proof of both social and financial interdependence. Generally, social interdependence is established first by gleaning information from home surveillance, video footage, and tracing the couple’s daily habits, demonstrating that they are living as an exclusive couple and presenting themselves as such publicly.

As per the Alimony Reform Act of 2014, the ex does not need to be living full-time with their new partner for their relationship to constitute cohabitation.

2. Identify the Partner
The next step is to establish exactly who the new partner is. This can be done through photographs, vehicle records, mail delivery, and other methods.

3. Conduct Interviews
At this point in the investigation, Cowan Investigations can begin conducting interviews of those who personally know the ex-spouse and can attest that to their new relationship. Information collected from these interviews can later be presented in court.

4. Asset and Background Checks
In the final step, we establish the ex-spouse’s financial interdependence with the new partner through a hidden asset search, sifting through public records, vehicle ownership records, and business-related reports to verify that the couple shares bills, vehicles, and the same address. We also run a background check to confirm the findings.

Ultimately, the goal is to put together a collection of evidence that will prove cohabitation in a court of law. To learn more about what Cowan Investigations can do for you, contact us today at (732) 837-8444 for a free thirty-minute consultation.