During a divorce, you will need to provide your attorney with several different documents. From tax returns to important receipts, these documents will be used to evaluate your financial situation for the purposes of determining the fair distribution of your assets between you and your spouse. Providing these documents voluntarily and thoroughly can be crucial to helping your attorney negotiate with your spouse and build your case in the event that your dispute should go to court. If you are in the beginning stages of a divorce, make sure you collect the following information to ensure that your attorney receives all that they need.
1. Prenuptial/postnuptial agreements: If you and your spouse created a prenuptial or postnuptial marital agreement, these documents can greatly simplify the separation process and predetermine who gets which assets. These agreements can carry the enforceability of law and can shorten the divorce process tremendously.
2. Personal records: Birth certificates, immigration documents, social security cards, and any death certificates of prior, deceased spouses will be needed.
3. Property records: If you own any property, title deeds, mortgages, and insurance policies will need to be shared.
4. Tax information: Roughly three to five years of federal, state and local tax returns will be needed to determine the tax implications of a separation. Along these lines, pay stubs, bonuses, and employment records will be relevant.
5. Retirement information: Any information regarding pension accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, IRAs, military pensions, and social security benefits of you and your spouse must be presented.
6. Investment documents: If you and your spouse have made any investments, your attorney will need to see any stock options, stock portfolios, and securities information that exists.
7. Estate planning documents: Did you or your spouse create an estate plan during the course of your marriage? If so, information regarding powers of attorney, advance health care directives, wills, and living trusts can have an impact on your divorce.
8. Business documents: Do you or your spouse own a business? If so, your attorney will need to see shareholder agreements, business tax returns, partnership agreements, business balance sheets, profit and loss statements, business insurance policies, and business real estate deeds need to be disclosed.
9. Banking information: Checking and savings account statements, checkbook records, deposit slips, and information on the contents of safe deposit boxes must be reported.
10. Information regarding children: If you and your spouse have children, expense records, birth and medical information, and any immigration or naturalization documents regarding their citizenship status will be important. Providing photographs, videos, or tape recordings of you and your children can help aid your case for custody.
Hire a Skilled Divorce Attorney in Rhode Island
As you can see, the amount of information that is required can be daunting at first glance. If you are looking to separate from your spouse, a knowledgeable Providence divorce lawyer from TJC • ESQ can help you gather the necessary documents and guide you through the associated legal processes. Having served countless Rhode Island clients throughout more than 30 years of legal practice, our firm is prepared to do everything within our power to help you get through this difficult time as smoothly as possible.
To find out more about how our award-winning lawyers can help, request a free consultation or call 401-400-4254 today!
