29 Jun What To Bring To Your Divorce Mediation
With so many divorce-related matters to be discussed during a divorce mediation, it’s important that you know exactly what to bring to your session. The most important item to bring isn’t exactly material – it’s an open mind and a cooperative attitude. Nevertheless, we’ve gathered a handy checklist of what material items you should bring to your divorce mediation sessions so they go smoothly. It’s important to note that not all of these documents may apply to every couple looking to divorce.
Assets
- Names, addresses, contact information, marriage date, employment as well as annual income for both spouses
- Name and date of birth for children you have together
- Up-to-date balance statements of bank accounts, including checking’s, savings, certificates of deposits or money markets, etc.
- Up-to-date balance statements for your children’s accounts, including CD’s, 529 plans, college saving plans, etc.
- Up-to-date balance statements for stock/bond investments
- Information on vehicles owned, including each vehicle’s make, model, and year as well as a private party value for each (listed on Kelly Blue Book)
- Statements on outstanding loans if any and notarized promises to repay loans in which both spouses are creditors (make sure to bring up any verbal agreements on repaying loans so they can be written in stipulation agreements)
- Up-to-date statements on retirement accounts owned by each spouse, such as pension plans, 401Ks, 403Bs, Thrift Savings Plans, TIAA-CREFs, both Traditional and Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs. *Some plans many need to be assessed by a professional actuary for their present-day value.
- Statements on all employment benefits such as stock options, incentives, cash balances, golden parachute plans, etc.
- Current market value appraisals for jointly owned real estate, vacation homes, timeshares, etc.
- An approximate value of all homes owned, art, jewelry, antiques, collectibles and other items of especially significant value
- Current market value appraisals of any businesses owned if both spouses agree the handling of these businesses should be a matter of their divorce
Liabilities
- Up-to-date balance statements on mortgages, home equity loans, lines of credit or property owned
- Up-to-date balance statements for motor vehicle loans
- Up-to-date statements on private loans in which both spouses are debtors
- Up-to-date credit card statements
- Information on pending civil lawsuits (if any) if either spouse is named a defendant
Income
- Copies of pay stubs/income statements of each spouse for the last six months of all W-2/1099 statements
Taxes
- Copies of state/federal tax returns for the previous three years and all corresponding W-2/1099 statements
- Copies of corporate tax returns for the previous three years if one or both spouses have a business
Insurance
- Declaration sheets of all life insurance policies held by either or both spouses as well as a statement of cash surrender value of any whole/universal life insurance policies
- Declaration sheets for all disability policies held by either spouse
Other Related Marital Documents
- Copies of marriage certificates
- Copies of any trust documents
- Copies of all marital and premarital agreements in effect, such as pre/post nuptial agreements
- Copies of any wills executed during marriage