How you navigate your divorce, dissolution, or any other family law matter may rest in large part on your ability to produce legal documents and evidence that can support any claims for support, division of assets, and other issues. Gathering this information in an organized fashion can make your proceedings less stressful and more approachable for you and your divorce attorney.
Information Regarding Minor Children
- Names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses where they have lived during their lives
Personal Property Information
For the following, be prepared to disclose who has possession, to whom it is titled, the value and the date of valuation, and, for vehicles, the mileage.
- Inventory List- household objects, electronics, furnishings
- Jewelry, Antiques, Art, Collectibles, Wine, etc- purchase records and appraisals
- Vehicles- titles, registration documents, and loan statements
Financial Records
- Business and Personal Tax Returns
- Financial Statements
- Real Estate Documents- marital home, rental and vacation property- mortgages, lines of credit, escrow statement, appraisals
- Bank Accounts
- Life Insurance Policies
- Insurance- homeowners, auto, and health
- Stocks, bonds, investment accounts
- Retirement accounts and pensions
- Partnerships and business interests
- Stock Purchase Plans and Stock Options
Debt Information
- Student loans
- Taxes owed
- Support arrearages
- Secured and unsecured loans
- Credit card account information and the ability to access statements
- Credit report
Separate Property Claims
If you are making any separate property claims, explain the nature and amount of your claim. This includes, but is not limited to, inheritances, property owned before marriage, and any property addressed in pre-marital agreements.
Monthly Expenses
Household expenses, other living expenses, child-related expenses, insurance premiums, work and education expenses, healthcare expenses, and miscellaneous.
In addition to having access to this information, it is important to keep this organized on a cloud-based application that can be easily accessed and shared with your divorce attorney. Having an email address and a dedicated file folder within the account is also a good idea, so that information can be easily recalled or addressed.