Documents to Gather for Your Attorney in a Divorce

List of documents your attorney might need for a dissolution / divorce

Documents

The main source documents used in a divorce (1) Real property records. • Local address, • Legal description, • Copy of the most recent real estate assessor's statement, • Information as to any outstanding mortgage, deed of trust or real estate contract, • Exact name(s) in which title is held and • Estimated value of property. (2) Bank records • All bank accounts of either party or businesses owned by either party (3) Tax returns and supporting documents both personal and business (4) Pay stubs, W2, K1, 1099 (5) Balance sheets and profit / loss statements for self-employed, or parties with ownership interest in a business. (6) Contracts showing right to income in the future (7) Investment account records with sufficient information to assess tax consequences of sale of stock after award. If tracing is an issue, continuous records without a gap are necessary

More Documents

(8) Promissory notes, including those showing obligation and those showing right to income (9) Purchase / sale agreements - car(10) Statements for retirement benefits, and copy of Defined benefits plan, or other documents describing rights (11) Shareholders agreements, and other corporate documents for closely held businesses (12) Lists, loan applications, or other documents showing assets owned by either party (13) Present and prior Wills (14) Trust instruments with party either grantor, trustee or beneficiary (15) Gift tax returns (all) (16) Credit card statements (17) Real and personal property tax bills (18) Deeds to property

Even More Documents

(19) Mortgages, Deeds of Trust, refinance documents, settlement statements, gift letters (if money from family used to purchase property was characterized as a gift) (20) Stocks, bonds, or other securities (or stock broker statements) (21) Life insurance policies and annuities (22) Savings account passbooks and certificates of deposits (23) Stockholder or part (26) Instruments under which parties have any interest or power of appointment (27) Prenuptial or post nuptial agreements or separation agreements (28) Judgments of dissolution of marriage or decrees of separation or paternity, including separation contracts from former marriages of parties (29) Court orders or agreements under which parties are obligated to provide or receive support or maintenance (30) Bankruptcy filings within last 10 years.