3 Financial Documents To Bring When Talking To A Divorce Lawyer
by Joan Bradley
If you are getting ready to file for a divorce, you might be concerned about financial matters. Luckily, working with a good divorce attorney can help you ensure that you are as protected as possible financially. In order to give him or her a good picture of your financial situation, however, you are going to need to bring in certain documents. These are a few things that you will probably want to take with you when meeting with your family law lawyer for the first time.
1. Tax Documents
First of all, you will need to bring in tax documents to prove how much income you and your spouse have made over the past several years. Bring in any completed tax returns, W-2 forms, 1099's, or any other related forms. If you do not have these forms, you might be able to get a copy of them from your accountant or whoever filled out your taxes for you.
2. Documents for Contracts You and Your Spouse Have Signed
Have you and your spouse signed any contracts together? For example, do you have a mortgage that is in both of your names? Have you purchased a car together? Bringing in all of these contracts can help give your lawyer a picture of the property that you own together and the financial obligations that go along with paying for the contracts that the two of you have signed as a married couple. This can help with determining how property will be divided and paid for once the two of you get divorced.
3. Bank Statements
Although tax forms can be helpful in letting your divorce lawyer determine your incomes, bringing in copies of your most recent bank statements can give him or her a better idea of your financial picture as a married couple. Nowadays, you might be able to print copies of your bank statements off of the internet yourself if you participate in online banking, or someone from your local branch should be able to help you with your most recent bank statements.
Your attorney might ask you for additional financial paperwork once he or she has talked to you about your situation, but bringing these three things can help you get started. Additionally, along with financial paperwork, your family lawyer might also provide you with another list of things that you need to bring in so that he or she can provide you with the best possible legal representation.
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You walk into your favorite grocery store and right away, you slip and fall only to sprain your ankle. You can't perform your job because it requires standing on your feet all day, which means that you can't make any money to support your family while your ankle heals. There was no warning that the floors were wet after being cleaned in the store – so what do you do? It's probably a good idea to think about filing a personal injury lawsuit. Of course, anyone with experience with a personal injury case will tell you just how important it is to work with an attorney throughout the process. I'd like to share insight I've learned through three personal injury cases that I myself have had to go through in the past. I think the information on this website can help people like you, who need some personal injury guidance.