Detective for Alimony Disputes | Child Custody Cologne

Cologne residents are generally well-off. In 2010, the gross domestic product per capita was €45,142, significantly above the North Rhine-Westphalia average of €32,716. The average income of an employed person in Cologne in 2014 was over €67,000. It is therefore no surprise that issues relating to spousal, separation, and child support are significant concerns for divorced or divorcing Cologne residents, who frequently turn to the private detectives of Kurtz Investigations Cologne.

Surveillance to Detect False Declarations

After the end of a marriage, disputes often arise. In matters of alimony, it is first necessary to determine which partner is obliged to pay and which is entitled to receive support. This involves assessing both need and financial capability. Spousal support is measured according to the marital standard of living, in contrast to child support, which is based on the Düsseldorf Table.

 

During the separation period, separation support is initially paid, and after divorce, if conditions are met, post-marital support (alimony for ex-spouses) may be awarded. During separation, support is calculated so that both partners maintain a balanced income, ideally preserving their standard of living during the marriage (often difficult in practice). The post-divorce phase is usually more contentious. Although both ex-partners are generally responsible for their own living expenses, there are exceptions—sometimes almost standard practice—requiring substantial post-marital support due to unemployment, illness, childcare, supplementary support, or simple fairness.

 

Alimony assessments consider both monthly income and assets. Changes in the ex-partner’s work or income necessitate legal adjustments to prior support agreements. Former partners often conceal such changes, including salary increases, promotions, job changes, side jobs, inheritances, or other assets. Sometimes, legitimate support obligations are entirely avoided because the paying party fails to disclose information, for instance by hiding employment or claiming unemployment.

 

Surveillance can legally document most of these concealed facts or false statements. If you suspect your ex-partner of violating their disclosure obligations, contact the private detectives of Kurtz Detective Agency Cologne: +49 221 4558 0377.

Violations of Childcare Duty

Both parents are generally entitled to joint custody during and after marriage. Full custody is only awarded to one parent if it can be proven that joint custody is harmful to the child. Even unmarried fathers can now apply for joint custody, provided, according to a Cologne Higher Regional Court ruling, that they meet their child support obligations.

 

In practice, agreements regarding child custody and child or spousal support often must be settled in court. Mutual agreement between separated partners frequently fails — one parent benefits while the other struggles. Parents obliged to provide for minor children are required to work to secure child support.

 

Neglect or misuse of custody, which may justify changes in custody arrangements, is among the typical suspicions of our clients. This includes unauthorized delegation of childcare, alcohol or drug use during supervision, neglect, or socially harmful influences on the child. For documenting such suspicions, the detectives of Kurtz Investigations Cologne are your contact: +49 221 4558 0377.

New Marital-Like Relationship

A common reason for the cessation of post-marital support is entering a new marital-like or actual marital relationship. As with undisclosed changes in the paying party’s assets, the receiving partner may conceal this new relationship to avoid losing support. If the ex-partner becomes aware, they must prove the relationship, and surveillance by professional detectives is usually the only reliable method.

 

Evidence collection is often complex, as it must demonstrate that the partnership is more than casual and qualifies as a household unit. Observations usually need to be conducted over an extended period. Even when successfully documented, we have encountered various excuses: the new partner is a same-sex dance partner, the relationship existed temporarily, or the couple continues to rent both apartments despite only living in one, to offset the cost of support payments. Consideration for the ex-partner financially burdened is rarely factored in.

 

In our experience, denial becomes ineffective when our Cologne private detectives have worked on a case for an extended period, as the number of documented situations overwhelmingly supports the evidence against the opposing party.