Divorce

Document Checklist for Getting a Divorce

Divorce is more than just an emotional journey that feels like a rollercoaster ride with a lot of uncertainty thrown in for good measure. Divorce also involves a good deal of administrative effort, including gathering critical documents in support of your financial rights. As such, working closely with an experienced Illinois divorce attorney throughout the legal process is always well advised. 

Documents that Establish Your Expenses and Debts

A primary element of divorce is establishing your assets as offset by your debts, and documenting your expenses is an excellent place to start. The documentation you’re going for in this department includes all the following:

• Your mortgage payment
• Your tax expenses
• Your health, life, house, and car insurance bills
• All medical bills – including those for prescription medications – for the last several months (in order to create a representative sampling)
• Your monthly utility bills
• Your children’s school fees and bills related to their school supplies
• Bills related to your children’s daycare expenses
• The costs of your subscriptions and memberships
• Monthly grocery expenses
• Entertainment expenses 
• Any additional bills that apply to your life and lifestyle

Documents that Establish Your Income

In order to document your income, you’ll need to access all of the following documentation:

• Your tax returns for at least the last three years 
• You and your spouse’s pay receipts, including information about bonuses and benefits
• Records of any additional earnings either of you receives, such as royalties or earnings from a side gig

Documents that Establish Your Overall Assets

Establishing your overall assets is likely the most complicated element of this process, and the kind of documentation you’ll need to gather include:

• Property tax documents that establish the value of your home
• Statements from all joint and separate bank accounts
• Your financial portfolio, including all stocks, bonds, trusts, investments, and other financial holdings
• You and your spouse’s retirement accounts
• Documentation related to business ownership (as applicable) or involvement in business interests
• Documentation related to ownership of additional properties
• Information related to any valuable art, jewelry, or other collections

Complications

The more complicated your financials, the more critical gathering extensive documentation becomes. Factors that tend to require more thorough investigations include:

• If your divorce involves high assets
• If one of you owns a business (or if you share ownership in a business)
• If your spouse has considerably more involvement in your family’s finances than you do
• If you are concerned that your spouse may be hiding, spending down, giving away, or otherwise artificially diminishing your overall marital assets

Don’t Delay Consulting with an Experienced Illinois Divorce Attorney

Your financial rights are a primary concern if you are going through a divorce. Because the formidable Illinois divorce attorneys at SLG Family Law recognize how important these matters are to our clients’ financial rights, we dedicate our impressive practice to skillfully advocating for their cases’ optimal outcomes. We’re here for you, too, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.