Even if you are the party of your marriage that is initiating the divorce, the process is not easy. It can be extremely emotional, stressful, and frustrating. Divorce affects every aspect of your life including your physical and emotional well-being, your finances, and your day-to-day living. One of the most important things that you can do during a divorce is to stay focused during the process so that you can navigate through to the end. Emotional upset from a divorce could cause future problems if you miss out on key factors. One of the best ways you can keep yourself focused is to create a checklist at the beginning of the process to help make sure nothing is overlooked.
Don’t forget to consult with a professional divorce attorney in Pocatello to help you put together a checklist of the steps you need to take and all of the documents to have prepared. During a divorce, you will be asked for several different documents, and to help make the process manageable, the team at Baker Harris Law has started your critical document checklist.
Personal Documents
You are going to need a copy of your personal documents – and the originals of some when you file divorce paperwork. You will need to have personal identification, social security numbers, and birthdates for both parties. To help the process along, be sure to gather copies of:
Don’t forget to include information regarding children involved in the divorce including social security numbers, birthdates, bank account information, etc.
Financial Documents
Financial documents will be required to get an idea of marital finances and to help secure a stable financial future. The goal of a divorce attorney is to help you and your spouse reach a successful divorce settlement so try not to stress about who gets what. Gather the documents and make sure everything is transparent. Financial documents will include:
Some financial information may be difficult to get. Sometimes, spouses get territorial and secretive when it comes to finances and hide information. This often happens with the self-employed. Remember to discuss any concerns that you have about financial information with your attorney to find the best solution to get the information you need.
Assets
Your assets will have to be combed through and identified to determine which assets belong to who during the settlement. If assets were brought into the marriage by one party, that should be noted. If assets were obtained during the marriage, the parties will need to reach a settlement regarding who receives what. This can include:
Childcare Documents
If children were born during the marriage, the childcare plan can be the most challenging part of the divorce. The childcare plan will include the financial obligations of each parent and custody arrangements. Try to create a draft of the childcare plan with your spouse beforehand, if possible. This plan can include claiming the children for tax purposes, visitation, health insurance arrangements, childcare agreements, savings accounts, educational tuition, religious structure and more. This part of the divorce will be unique to your family and the wants/needs of you and your spouse.
Some of this may not be feasible in your personal situation, but this checklist can help you start to prepare for an upcoming divorce. Remember to schedule a consultation with an attorney that specializes in Family Law and Divorce to help you start a plan for your divorce. Contact the professionals at Baker Harris Law.
(208) 785-2310