Documents You Need to Gather for a New York Divorce

New York requires divorcing parties to file numerous forms with the Supreme Court in the county of residence. A qualified divorce attorney can help you with obtaining and completing these documents, but the process will run much more smoothly if you can provide your attorney with copies of personal papers. With this information, your attorney can give you the best possible evaluation of what you can expect as the case proceeds.

If you’re divorcing your spouse, you should speak with your attorney about what documents are needed to help you get started, such as:

• Tax returns — Whether you filed individually or jointly, this information, along with proof of current income, will form the basis for child support, spousal maintenance and property division decisions.
• Property and mortgage documents — For most couples, the marital home is not only a residence, but the most valuable asset. It is important to know whether it is individually or jointly owned and how much is due on any mortgages attached to it.
• Pension and retirement information — Recent changes to the law have made retirement assets even more important in the determination of spousal maintenance awards. Any 401(k) accounts, pensions or other retirement instruments must be included in the court’s evaluation.
• Insurance and investments — Though homes are usually jointly owned, securities and insurance policies usually belong to one spouse or the other. Often, smaller items get forgotten or lost. To ensure a fair adjudication of your matter, you need to conduct a thorough review of any accounts belonging to you and your partner.

Every situation is different, but an experienced attorney can help you identify the papers you need to give you the strongest possible representation in your divorce. At the firm of Goldberg Sager & Associates, Attorneys at Law, our lawyers assist individuals with divorce and other family law issues. To schedule a consultation with an experienced Brooklyn matrimonial attorney, call 718-514-9516 or contact us online.