The Documents We Need to Get Started

How This Works

1. Gather what you can find. Start with the tax returns. They point to almost everything else, and they are usually the easiest thing to lay hands on.

2. Upload it here. Use the secure form further down this page rather than emailing attachments. Everything lands in one place, and you can come back and add more later.

3. Tell us what is missing. There is a message box on the upload form. If something on this list does not apply to you, or you cannot get to it, say so and we will work through it together.

If You Only Do Five Things This Week

The full list below is thorough on purpose. These five give us a working picture faster than anything else.

• Three years of federal tax returns, complete with all schedules, W-2s, 1099s, and K-1s
• The last three pay stubs for each of you
• The most recent statement for every retirement account either of you holds
• The most recent mortgage statement
• Your own credit report, free at annualcreditreport.com

Income, Employment, and Taxes

• Last 3 pay stubs for each party
• Last 3 years of federal and state tax returns, with all supporting schedules, W-2s, 1099s, and K-1s
• Monthly and annual budget for each party
• Employer benefits summary or most recent open enrollment statement for each party
• Bonus, commission, or vesting history for the last two years, if income varies
• Social Security estimate statements for both parties, free at SSA.gov
• Financial affidavits, if either party has already completed one

Bank, Investment, and Retirement Accounts

• Last 12 months of statements for every checking and savings account
• Last 12 months of statements for every investment and brokerage account
• Last 12 months of statements for every employer retirement plan, pension, or deferred compensation plan
• Most recent statement for every IRA, Roth IRA, SEP, or SIMPLE
• Most recent statement for any employee stock option, employee stock purchase plan, or restricted stock account
• For any pension: the most recent annual benefit statement and the plan's Summary Plan Description
• Health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) statements
• 529 plans and custodial accounts (UTMA or UGMA) held for the children
• Cryptocurrency and digital asset account statements
• Rewards balances with real value, such as airline miles or hotel points

Real Estate

• Most recent mortgage statement for every property, including any home equity line of credit
• Deed for each property
• Home appraisal, if one has been completed in the last year
• Most recent property tax bill
• A recent value estimate for any property that has not been appraised
• Documents for second homes, rental property, land, or timeshares

Vehicles and Personal Property

• Most recent insurance policy for every vehicle owned, showing VIN numbers. Write in the current mileage.
• Title and loan payoff statement for each vehicle, boat, RV, or trailer
• Appraisals for jewelry, art, collectibles, or anything else of significant value
• An inventory of anything held in a safe deposit box

Debts and Liabilities

• Last 12 months of statements for any and all credit cards carrying a balance
• Most recent statement for every outstanding loan: auto, student, personal, home equity, or a loan taken against a 401(k)
• Any loan to or from a family member, and whatever documentation exists for it
• Any judgment, lien, or collection notice against either party
• A current credit report for each party, free at annualcreditreport.com

Insurance and Annuities

• Policy statements or information on any and all life insurance, including current cash value
• Annuity contracts and the most recent statements
• Health insurance card, the current premium cost, and which of you carries the coverage
• Disability and long-term care policies
• Homeowners or renters policy declaration page

Estate and Legal Documents

• Wills, trusts, and powers of attorney for both parties
• Current beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance
• Prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, if there is one
• Any temporary order, separation agreement, or parenting plan already in place
• Your marriage date, and the date of separation if you are separated

Business Interests

If either of you owns a business or a share of one, valuation is likely to become a significant issue. Send what you can.

• Full profit and loss statement for the current year to date and the two prior years
• Business balance sheet for the same periods
• Business tax returns (1120, 1120S, or 1065) with all K-1s
• Buy-sell, operating, or partnership agreement
• List of business assets and debts, including any loans to or from the owners
• Any business valuation completed in the last three years

Separate Property

This is the category people forget, and it is often the most valuable one to document.

• Documentation of anything you owned before the marriage
• Records of any inheritance or gift you received during the marriage, and where that money went
• Account statements showing balances as of your marriage date, if you can still get them

Children and Support

• Childcare costs
• Tuition, activity, and extracurricular costs
• Out-of-pocket medical, dental, and orthodontic costs for the children
• Any existing child support or spousal support order

Military, Federal, or First Responder Employment

• Most recent Leave and Earnings Statement
• Retirement points statement, or FERS and CSRS annual statement
• Any DFAS documentation you have

Two Things Worth Saying Out Loud

Gather freely, act carefully. Collecting information about your own household is reasonable and expected. Moving money, closing joint accounts, or transferring assets before you have legal advice is a different thing entirely, and it can damage your credibility even when your intentions are sound. Talk to your attorney before you move anything.

Only take what you have a right to. Please do not access accounts, email, or devices that are not yours. It can hurt your case, and we cannot work from documents obtained that way.

A Few Things That Make This Faster

• PDFs are best. Download the actual statement from your account rather than sending a photo of a screen.
• Send complete statements, every page, including the ones that look blank.
• Name files so we can tell them apart. Something like Chase_Checking_Jan2026.pdf is plenty.
• Upload in batches. Most clients send documents over two or three sittings rather than all at once.
• Do not redact account numbers. We need them to match accounts across statements, and the upload is secure.
• If you cannot find something, send what you have and note the gap in the message box.

What We Do With All of This

Divorce financial planning. Your documents become the financial picture your attorney works from: what you own, what it is worth, what it costs to keep, and what different settlements would mean for you in five and fifteen years.

Mediation. If you and your spouse are both open to resolving this without litigation, the same information supports a faster and far less expensive process.

Divorce coaching. For the parts that are not spreadsheets. Staying organized, preparing for hard conversations, and deciding what you actually want.

We are not a law firm. We work alongside your attorney, and clients often find that arriving prepared reduces their legal fees.