Pre-Divorce Document Checklist

If you are contemplating a divorce action, you will need to provide us with all of the following documents that are relevant to your particular situation.

Pre-Divorce Checklist of Necessary Documents
TAX RETURNS	If you are able, please furnish us copies of your state and federal income tax returns for the last three years including all schedules, W-2 forms, and 1099’s.
NET WORTH STATEMENTS	If you have filed any financial or net worth statements in the last five years for the purpose of obtaining a loan or line of credit, please furnish us copies of such statements. If you do not have a copy in your possession, contact the financial institution to which you submitted these statements and obtain copies from them.
RETIREMENT PLAN	If you are a participant in any profit sharing, pension, Keogh, annuity, or retirement plan that is offered by your employer, please contact the bookkeeper, plan administrator, or person responsible for the maintenance of such program and request from them a copy of the summary plan description, a statement as to your current interest in such plan, and its monetary value. Such information must be provided by your employer upon request.
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS	If you or your spouse are the owners of any individual retirement accounts (IRA), please provide us with the name of the financial institution, account number, beneficiary and current statement indicating the balance in the account.
REAL ESTATE - LEGAL DESCRIPTION	If you or your spouse have any interest in real estate, list the address of the property and obtain a copy of the legal description. It is important that we have a complete legal description for each property since it will be involved in your divorce. The legal description appears in the deed, mortgage, title insurance policy or abstract of title. We should have a photocopy of the deed for our file.
RECEIPTED REAL ESTATE TAX BILL	With respect to each parcel of real estate owned by you or your husband, please furnish us a photocopy of the last city assessment for each parcel of property.
REAL ESTATE APPRAISAL	If any property has been appraised within the last three years, please furnish us a copy of the appraisal.
LIFE INSURANCE	Please furnish us information on all life insurance policies owned by you or your husband. It is important that we receive a copy of the face sheet on each life insurance policy, setting forth the name of the insurance company, face amount of the policy, policy number, owner of the policy, beneficiary, annual premium, and the terms and conditions of such policy.
MEDICAL INSURANCE	Please furnish us the company name, address, policy or group number, and subscriber number for all health and medical insurance. Also secure from the insurance company a statement as to coverage for the spouse and children and what provision the policy has concerning conversion after divorce.
OTHER INSURANCE	Please furnish us copies of all insurance policies you presently maintain including, but not limited to, all homeowners policies, automobile and personal property insurance, including any schedules or riders.
BANK ACCOUNTS	Please provide us a photocopy of the current statement indicating the balance on deposit in all bank, savings and loan, or other financial institution accounts. We also need the account number of each account. Information can be obtained from the financial institution upon request.
SECURITIES	If you or your spouse own any securities, please furnish us a list of the stocks or bonds owned, the date of purchase, the purchase price, and the current owner of such securities. This information can be obtained directly from the person who handled the purchase of these securities for you or your spouse.
BUSINESS INTERESTS	If you or your spouse have any interest in any business entity, we must receive copies of such partnership or corporate tax returns, and the appropriate schedules attached to such returns, as well as copies of the balance sheets and profit and loss statements for the last three years. You might find this difficult to obtain if you are not the spouse who has a controlling interest; but we would suggest that if it is not obtainable, please advise us and we will contact the necessary individuals to secure such information.
ESTATE OR TRUST INTEREST	It is also important that you advise us if you or your spouse have any interest in any estate, inheritance, or a future interest which you believe will become your property in the near future. If such is the case, please furnish us a copy of the will, inventory, final account and judgment affecting such interest. If you have an interest in any trust, it is important for us to review the actual trust agreement, the inventory, the most recent annual accounting and the most recent tax returns. Please be sure to furnish us whatever information you have with respect to your spouse’s interest or future interest in any estate or trust.
PREVIOUS MARRIAGES	If either you or your spouse were previously married, please provide us pertinent information regarding children of the marriage, length of the marriage and reasons for its dissolution.
WRITTEN AGREEMENTS	If you and your spouse have entered into any written agreement, concerning support, property, or other matters, furnish us a copy of the agreement. If there is no agreement, under no circumstances should you enter into any agreement, nor sign any documents, without consultation with our office.
HEARING FOR TEMPORARY RELIEF	If we are unable to reach an agreement with your husband for temporary support and maintenance for you and your children, we may petition the appropriate court to require your husband to adequately provide for you and your children. At the temporary hearing, it will be necessary for you to furnish a wage statement from your employer for a period of eight weeks prior to the hearing setting forth your actual gross and net earnings. You will also be required to produce copies of your income tax returns for the last two years. We encourage you to have this information available to us in advance of the hearing so that we can properly represent your interests and also be able to properly estimate your needs before the Court.
SAFE DEPOSIT BOX	If you or your spouse own a safe deposit box, please indicate the location and furnish us with a list of the contents.
DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUR CHILDREN	Birth records, social security cards, school records of all children
PERSONAL DOCUMENTATION	Birth certificate, certificate of marriage (and/or any divorces), social security card, drivers license, or state ID

If your browser is not java enabled, please use the navigational buttons below.

Pre-Divorce Checklist of Necessary Documents