Essential Divorce Checklist :
Are you considering a
divorce ? Are you too emotionally drained and physically overwhelmed to know where to begin ? Being organized throughout the divorce process can make or break the result . Here is an essential divorce checklist to help get you started :
1 . Gather and organize your documents : To go through a divorce proceeding , you will need the following , at minimum : a . Income Statements : This includes your Social Security statement , state and federal tax returns , year end paystubs , and your most recent six months ’ worth of paystubs . b . Debts : Statements of current balances for all debts , obligations , and liabilitiesincluding credit cards . c . Monthly Living Expenses : Put together a monthly budget . d . Medical Insurance : Documentation showing the cost of medical and dental insurance , and the cost breakdown for you alone versus a family plan . e . Life Insurance : For each life insurance policy , list the police name and number , with copies of the face page of the insurance policy . f . Real Property : Appraisals or a comparative market analysis for each property you own . You also need an estimated current market value and a current mortgage statement . g . Retirement and Bank Accounts : A statement for all securities , stocks , bonds , savings certificates , and all individual and joint bank accounts . h . Motor Vehicles : A current statement showing the balance of an encumbrance , a description of each vehicle including the milage , and a Kelly Blue Book fair market value of each vehicle ( private party value ). i . Business Interests : If you own any businesses , name them . j . Other Personal Property : Make a list of all of the personal property you intend to keep .
2 . Divide the Assets and Debts into Marital vs . Non-Marital Property :
Marital property is property acquired during the marriage . Non-marital property is any asset you had prior to the marriage or an inheritance or gift you received prior to or during the marriage . Make a list of what property you think is marital and what property you think is nonmarital .