The decision to begin the divorce process is a difficult one fraught with many emotional and financial issues. However, the more one understands what one can expect, the easier and less costly the process will be.

This begins with having a clear understanding about your short and long term goals as they relate to your financial, living and child raising situation. The clearer you are about what it is you wish to accomplish through the dissolution of your relationship/marriage, the better able your attorney will be to help you obtain the type of settlement which you are seeking. While you may harbor considerable anger and resentment toward your spouse/partner, it is usually much better for all concerned parties if such feelings were set aside as much as possible in the interest of obtaining the kind of settlement that will make your new life easier and more fulfilling.  

For the first meeting with your attorney, you will be asked to fill out a Family Part Case Information Statement.

In preparation for this, you will need to provide:

• Prior Year’s Federal and State Income Tax Returns (along with attachments
• W2 and 1099, K-1 Statements
• Three (3) most recent Pay Stubs
• Information regarding any Bonuses received
• Most recent Corporate Benefit Statement
• Affidavit of Insurance Coverage
• List of all Previous Legal Actions involving child support, custody, domestic violence, etc., along with the docket number, county, state and disposition reached. All related orders should be attached.
• Details of each Wage Execution
• Schedule of Payments Made for a Spouse or Children
• Any Prior Agreements
• Child Support Guideline Worksheet (if appropriate)

You should also gather all relevant data regarding income, assets, and liabilities including those covering bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, personal property, stocks and bonds, pensions, IRAs, businesses owned, life insurance, loan receivables, mortgages, short and long term debts, revolving charges and any other contingent liabilities.