Important and helpful documents needed for your divorce case
If you are contemplating filing for divorce, or if you are already involved in a proceeding, it is critically important for your attorney to have a complete financial picture of both spouses. This includes income, asset, and debt information for both parties to the action. The earlier this information is gathered, the better. By being prepared BEFORE the case is filed, you can help your attorney discover income or assets that your spouse may be hiding, and you can save time and money as information gathering becomes harder after the parties split and/or the tensions of the litigation take hold.
The following is a general list of documents that you should have available or readily accessible when you begin your case:
1. Income Tax Returns. Completed personal, corporate, partnership, joint venture,
or other income tax returns, state and federal, including W-2, 1099, and K-1
forms, in your possession or control for the last 3 years.
2. Income Information. Current income information, including payroll stubs and all
other evidence of income since the filing of your last tax return.
3. Personal Property Tax Returns filed in this state or anywhere else from the start
of the marriage..
4. Banking Information. All monthly bank statements, passbooks, check registers,
deposit slips, canceled checks, and bank charge notices on personal and business
accounts, certificates of deposit, and money market and retirement accounts from
banks, savings and loan institutions, credit unions, or other institutions in which
you or your spouse has an interest.
5. Financial Statements submitted to banks, lending institutions, or any other persons
or entities, which were prepared by you or your spouse at any time during
the last five (5) years.
6. Any Loan Applications made within the last five (5) years.
7. Brokerage Statements. Monthly statements from all accounts of securities and/or
commodities dealers or mutual funds maintained by you or your spouse during
the marriage, and held individually, jointly, or as a trustee or guardian.
8. Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds. Certificates, if available, of accounts owned by
either spouse during the marriage or pre-owned by you.
9. Stock Options. All records pertaining to stock options held in any corporation or
other entity, exercised or not exercised.
10. Pension, Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation Agreement, and Retirement
Plans or any other kind of plan owned by you or by any corporation in which
you or your spouse has been a participant during the marriage, including annual
statements.
1. Income Tax Returns. Completed personal, corporate, partnership, joint venture,
or other income tax returns, state and federal, including W-2, 1099, and K-1
forms, in your possession or control for the last 3 years.
2. Income Information. Current income information, including payroll stubs and all
other evidence of income since the filing of your last tax return.
3. Personal Property Tax Returns filed in this state or anywhere else from the start
of the marriage..
4. Banking Information. All monthly bank statements, passbooks, check registers,
deposit slips, canceled checks, and bank charge notices on personal and business
accounts, certificates of deposit, and money market and retirement accounts from
banks, savings and loan institutions, credit unions, or other institutions in which
you or your spouse has an interest.
5. Financial Statements submitted to banks, lending institutions, or any other persons
or entities, which were prepared by you or your spouse at any time during
the last five (5) years.
6. Any Loan Applications made within the last five (5) years.
7. Brokerage Statements. Monthly statements from all accounts of securities and/or
commodities dealers or mutual funds maintained by you or your spouse during
the marriage, and held individually, jointly, or as a trustee or guardian.
8. Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds. Certificates, if available, of accounts owned by
either spouse during the marriage or pre-owned by you.
9. Stock Options. All records pertaining to stock options held in any corporation or
other entity, exercised or not exercised.
10. Pension, Profit Sharing, Deferred Compensation Agreement, and Retirement
Plans or any other kind of plan owned by you or by any corporation in which
you or your spouse has been a participant during the marriage, including annual
statements.
11. Wills and Trust Agreements executed by you or in which you have a present or
contingent interest or in which you are a beneficiary, trustee, executor, or
guardian and from which benefits have been received, are being received, or will
be received and which are or were in existence during the past five (5) years,
including inter vivos trusts. All records of declaration of trust and minute books
for all trusts to which you are a party, including the certificates, if any, showing
such interest and copies of all statements, receipts, disbursements, investments,
and other transactions.
12. Life Insurance or certificate of life insurance policies now in existence, insuring
your life or the life of your spouse, and statements of the cash value, if available.
13. General Insurance. Copies of insurance policies, including, but not limited to,
annuities, health, accident, casualty, motor vehicles of any kind, property liability,
including contents, and insurance owned by the parties during the past five
(5) years of the marriage.
14. Outstanding Debts. Documents reflecting all debts owed to you or by you,
secured or unsecured, including personal loans, credit card statements, and lawsuits
pending or previously filed in any court.
15. Business Records or ledgers in your possession and control that are either personal
or business-related, together with all accounts and journals.
16. Real Property. Any deeds of property in which you or your spouse has an interest
together with evidence of all contributions, in cash or otherwise, made by you
or on your behalf, toward the acquisition of such real estate during the marriage
or thereafter.
17. Sale and Option Agreements on any real estate owned by you either individually,
through another person or entity, jointly, or as trustee or guardian.
18. Personal Property. Documents, invoices, contracts, insurance policies, and
appraisals on all personal property, including furniture, fixtures, furnishings,
equipment, antiques, and any type of collections, owned by you individually,
jointly, as trustee or guardian, or through any other person or entity during the
term of the marriage.
19. Firearm registrations issued or pending receipt of governmental registration
documents, owned, possessed, or controlled by you during the last five (5) years.
20. Motor Vehicles. All financing agreements and titles to all motor vehicles owned
by you, individually or jointly, at any time during the last five (5) years, including
airplanes, boats, automobiles, or any other types of motor vehicles.
21. Corporate Interests. All records showing any kind of personal interest in any corporation
(foreign or domestic) or any other entities not evidenced by certificate
or other instrument.
22. Partnership and Joint Venture Agreements to which you have been a party during
the marriage.
23. Employment Records during the term of the marriage, showing evidence of
wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, raises, promotions, expense accounts, and
other benefits or deductions of any kind. All records showing any fringe benefits
available to you or your spouse from any business entity including, without limitation,
auto, travel, entertainment, educational, and personal living expenses.
24. Employment contracts under which you or your spouse have performed services
during the past three (3) years, including a list of description of any oral contracts.
25. Charge Account statements for the past three (3) years.
26. Membership cards or documents identifying participation rights in any country
clubs, key clubs, private clubs, associations, or fraternal group organizations during
the past three (3) years of the marriage, together with all monthly statements.
27. Judgments and pleadings in which you have been a party to, either as Plaintiff
or Defendant, during the marriage.
28. Medical bills, prescriptions, evaluation reports, or diagnoses for psychiatric treatment
received during the last five (5) years.
29. Photographs or tapes of your real estate or contents if available.
30. Appraisals of any asset owned by you for the past five (5) years.
31. Safe Deposit Boxes. A list of contents as well as the people authorized to enter.
