Documents to Gather Before You File for Divorce
- Posted on: Jan 30 2019
Filing for divorce is often a very emotional, messy business. If your spouse served you unexpectedly, you’re likely in shock and are feeling very confused. If you plan on initiating the divorce process, especially if you know it’s going to be a contested divorce, you want to go into the process as prepared as you can be. That’s why you need to gather specific documents before you file for divorce. Here are the key documents you’ll need to have.
Financial Information
You’ll want to have your pay stubs for a year. You don’t necessarily need to have your spouse’s income information, although that can certainly help. If either of you are self-employed or are partners in a business, gather as much information about those finances, too. You will need to show what percentage of household income you and your spouse contribute, and there’s no better way of doing so than with a year or more of pay stubs and other documents.
Bank and Credit Card Statements
Likewise, you will want to have at least a year’s worth of statements from your bank, credit card companies, investment accounts, and any other loans/accounts you may have. This can show income from your investment accounts and can help establish a paper trail of outlandish expenses if you are divorcing due to your spouse’s reckless spending.
A List of Debt
In addition to having credit card statements, you’ll want to make a full list of all of the debts you have, your spouse has, and that the two of you have jointly. This includes medical bills, student loans, real estate, personal loans, and any other debt.
Joint Property
Make a list of any major joint property you own, including vehicles and real estate. Include information such as the value, if they are owned separately or jointly, and what is owed on each.
Life Insurance Information
Finally, you’ll need to have copies of your life insurance policies. This includes all policies on yourself, your spouse, and your children. Be sure you have information on all of your policies, including those offered through your employer and those you have purchased individually.
You can log into your online accounts to gather most of the information above. If you find that you can’t get all of these documents, you may need to turn to legal assistance from the FK Law Group. These experts will be able to help you gather the information you need and then submit your divorce filing.
Posted in: Divorce Law, Family Law, Uncategorized
