Some people at the end of their marriage might take it upon themselves to save the legal fees of their divorce by filing for divorce themselves. In order to file for divorce, regardless of whether you file or you have your attorney file, it is important to know which documents are needed for the process.
1.
Marital Separation Agreement
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A marital separation agreement is an agreement that divides your property, helps decide visitation rights, describes alimony and child support, explains who will pay for marital debts, and will cover the children's health insurance. It also decides who will live in the marriage home, how pensions are divided, how any taxes are handled, as well as any disputes you and your spouse will have in the future. This document is actually filed before you file your divorce with the court. However, you can file it after you have filed for divorce and you can file it even if you and your spouse are still living in the same residence.
Your Paperwork
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In preparing your paperwork, you will need to provide several documents. These include tax papers, information regarding your net worth, real estate papers including mortgage documents, tax assessments for your property, bank statements, insurance policies, titles to your automobiles and compensation plans (pensions, 401ks, retirement funds, mutual funds and other company compensation). Lastly, you will need to provide information and documentation about any debts you and your spouse had during the marriage.
Support Paperwork
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If you are asking for support from your spouse, you will need to provide your personal monthly expenses report and any supporting documents. Those include mortgage documents, insurance (home and auto), utilities, furnishings, clothing, educational expenses and medical expense reports.
Court Documents
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In addition to normal documents, you will also need court documents to file for your divorce. These documents could include an "Appearance" document that will give the court information regarding your divorce. A "Verified Petition for Dissolution of the Marriage" to ask the court to grant you the divorce. You will need a "Motion for Fee Waiver" if you are unable to pay the court fees. You will also need a "Verified Waiver of Final Hearing," which will outline the conditions of your divorce. In some courts, you might also need a "Settlement Agreement and Decree of Dissolution." Some states require additional documents for child custody and child support.
Tags: marriage divorce documents process marital separation agreement alimony support
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