Important documents needed for divorce

Jul 15 2015 - Posted by , in Property Division, Tagged in Property Division

When a person is thinking about a divorce in the Houston area there are many things to consider. Going through the process can be stressful enough, but even knowing what paperwork to prepare can seem overwhelming. Yet, gathering important documents in advance can help expedite the divorce and make sure key issues are ready to be discussed.

A divorce is an emotionally traumatic event for a person to go through. It can therefore be difficult to focus on the logistics of the event. But, it is very important for a person to gather all of their important legal and financial documents. A divorce attorney will need these documents to make sure property division, child support, alimony, and other financial matters are handled correctly and in a divorcing party’s best interests.

There are a lot of important documents that need to be gathered. They include state and federal tax returns for the past three to five years. If a business is owned, then business tax returns for the past three to five years need to be included as well. Proof of income for both spouses along with bank statements, and information related to pensions, retirement accounts, stock options, and stock portfolios must be submitted. Documentation regarding debt, including mortgage information, student loans, credit cards, and monthly bills should also be collected. A divorcing party may also want to gather insurance information related to health, cars, life, and the homes. An individual should also bring any estate planning documents such as wills, power of attorney, health directives, and living wills.

Although a divorce is an extremely emotional time, it is important for a spouse to keep in mind that it is important to have all financial and other important paperwork gathered for an attorney to review. Every divorce is different and can be complicated, so meeting with an attorney to go over all of this paperwork can help them make sure that the divorce goes as smoothly as possible while keeping a divorcing party’s best interests in mind.

Source: FindLaw, “Checklist: Documents to show your divorce attorney“, accessed on July 13, 2015

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