How to Begin the Divorce Process
- Consider working with a professional counselor to help you through the confusion and stress of the process.
- Begin making a list of all assets and liabilities and try to get as many supporting documents for each entry as possible.
- Begin gathering records that might be used, such as:
- tax returns (last 3 years);
- credit card statements (last 12 months, at least);
- bank statements with canceled checks (last 1-3 years);
- mortgage payment records;
- statements on all financial accounts, including money market funds, IRAs and mutual funds, if any (last 1-3 years); and
- the most recent quarterly and annual statements for any pension, 401K account, SEP account, stock and stock options.
- Research family law attorneys until you find one you like. (See the more detailed discussion on the page entitled, “How to find the Right Attorney for You”.)
- If you want to have a Collaborative divorce (or other family law matter), you need to have a Collaborative-trained attorney, so you should find out up front whether the attorney has completed at least a two-day Collaborative training.
- Meet with a lawyer in person and decide whether or not to hire him or her, considering in part whether the chemistry between you and attorney feels good.
- Sign a fee agreement and pay the retainer.