Divorce can be highly stressful and overwhelming. No couple wants to go through a divorce, but unfortunately, sometimes divorce is the only correct solution. Going through the divorce process can bring multiple challenges and often leave you confused about how to ease the process.
A key to having a successful and hassle-free divorce has a divorce attorney who can guide you on the proper steps. Divorce attorneys from Kohlmeyer Hagen Law can help in effective planning for your divorce. In addition, having a checklist of all the essential documents you need to collect will come in handy to conduct a quick divorce.
Essential documents to gather:
- Asset documentation
It is vital to have all the asset documentation in place for a hassle-free divorce process. Make a record of all the assets that each partner brought to the marriage. The documents will come in handy to prove the ownership of all the assets. In addition, establish a list of all the assets you brought during the marriage.
- Relevant documents of your finances.
Finances play a vital role in divorce. Gather all the financial documents to find the exact value of your marital assets and finances. Some of the vital documents include bank statements, income tax returns, debt records, employment records, social security statements, and more.
If you have been married for more than five years, it is vital to keep the documents of your assets for the past five years. Similarly, if the marriage lasted for a few years (less than five), it is vital to have documents for the entire marriage year.
- Parental documents
It is essential to gather all the childcare documents to avoid child custody issues from arising in your divorce. You must outline all the different parental duties performed by each partner. These duties include bathing, taking kids to extracurricular activities, cleaning, transportation, medical appointments, and more. Furthermore, if you have any documents of the financial child care you provide, such as healthcare insurance, academic cost, or any other, you can add them to your checklist.
- Additional personal documents.
Besides all the other documents, you also need additional documents and details of your marriage such as date, information about previous marriages (if any), birthdates of both the partners and children and more. Additionally, if there is a record of marital issues, you need to present the documents related to it to your attorney. The issues may include abuse, mental illness, substance abuse, criminal charges, and more. You can collect the documents needed, including restraining orders, hospital bills, prescriptions, and more.
Although the checklist mentioned above covers all the crucial documents you need, it is essential to take advice from a divorce lawyer to ensure you do not miss out on any documents.