How to Begin the Divorce Process

How to Begin the Divorce Process

  1. Consider working with a professional counselor to help you through the confusion and stress of the process.
  2. Begin making a list of all assets and liabilities and try to get as many supporting documents for each entry as possible.
  3. 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.
  4. 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”.)
  5. If you want to have a Collaborative divorce (or other family law matter), you need to have a Collaborative Law-trained attorney, so you should find out up front whether the attorney has completed at least a basic two-day Collaborative training.
  6. 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.
  7. Sign a fee agreement and pay the retainer.