New York residents who are preparing for divorce are faced with a myriad of issues, from child custody to home ownership to spousal support. The first step in preparing for your divorce is to consider the unique issues your divorce raises for your family, as well as gathering documentation to support valuation and ownership of assets. The following divorce checklist, though not exhaustive, offers clients a general overview of the types of documents needed by the court as well as the issues that will need to be addressed during your divorce.
- Children
- Legal custody
- Physical custody
- Custody during holidays, school breaks, vacations, and other special occasions
- Child support
- Visitation (with co-parent, grandparents, and other family members)
- Insurance and medical costs (health insurance, dental insurance and vision insurance, as well as who is responsible for co-pays and additional medical costs)
- Claiming children as dependents for tax purposes
- Religion
- Education (public versus private, tuition budget, transportation, and related education costs such as school trips, extracurricular activities, uniforms, etc.)
- College savings
- Life insurance beneficiaries
Spousal support/ alimony
- Amount of support
- Duration of support
- Proof of need (professional degrees, contributions as homemaker or childcare giver, etc.)
Property - List of real and personal property
- Applicable appraisals
- Mortgage statements
- Homeowner’s insurance policy
- Property tax statements
- Equity in home
- Business assets
- Documentation for other assets (stocks, bonds, certificates of deposits, etc.)
Other documents
- Proof of income
- Proof of spouse’s income
- Tax returns
- Bank statements
- Separation agreement
- Car insurance policy
- Life insurance policy
- Will, power of attorney, health care directive, etc.
- Benefits statements
- Pension statements
By gathering the listed documents and formulating answers to common issues before your initial attorney meeting, both you and your attorney will be better equipped to seek the best legal solution for your family.
Experienced divorce representation for New York clients
If you are considering a divorce in New York, an experienced divorce attorney can help protect your rights and guide you throughout the divorce process. The Law Office of Stacy Sabatini, Esq., located in New City, NY, serves family law clients throughout Rockland County, Orange County and Westchester County. For more information or to contact us, please visit www.sskfamilylaw.com.