Going to divorce mediation can sometimes feel like you’re putting your whole life on the table. It gets complicated, but talking about your finances, children, and property are all important for reaching a final agreement. One thing you can do to make the process of getting a divorce easier is to get a head start on putting together the documents you’ll need to prepare your settlement. The professionals from Divorce Options San Diego, the experts in divorce mediation San Diego couples rely on to help them form creative solutions without going through contentious and costly divorce proceedings, offer the following advice about the documents you’ll need.
Personal Identification Information
Your mediator will need some basic information to prepare your paperwork, such as a copy of your marriage certificate along with copies of your children’s birth certificates or social security cards. The mediator can tell you what you’ll need for your first meeting so you can get started.
Most Recent Tax Return
In most cases, you’ll need at least a copy of your most recent tax return. You may also need returns from previous years if your income has changed dramatically or fluctuates each year. If you and your spouse filed individually, you’ll need copies of both returns.
Pay Stubs & Other Income Information
A large part of your mediation sessions will be discussing things such as child and spousal support. Both of you will need to provide proof of any income you have from jobs, self-employment, and investments. Keep in mind these should reflect your most recent income status, and don’t forget to bring proof of things such as oil or gas royalties as well.
A List of Your Current Debts
Your debts will also need to be split up according to California law and your personal preferences.divorce san diego Bring credit card statements, loan documents, and proof of any other debts you have. Ideally, these documents should also list important information such as when the debt was taken on, since some types of debt incurred before the marriage might be up for discussion as to how they’re shared.divorce mediation san diego
Property Valuation Documents
Your house, car, boat, and other types of property are all considered items of value that must be accounted for during the divorce. You’ll need to have proof of how much each of these things is worth. You’ll also need proof of ownership for any of these items, such as the title to your car or the deed to your house.
Health Insurance & Retirement Documents
Depending on your situation, you may also need to furnish proof of your health insurance coverage and retirement plan. Some couples split their retirement earnings up to the point of their divorce, and you’ll need to divorce mediation san diego know where you stand regarding your current savings. You might also need to furnish proof of your health insurance to include in your child support divorce san diego and custody arrangements so everyone understands who will assume that responsibility.
You can speed up the mediation process by having all your paperwork in order. Another great way to make divorce easier is to work with experienced divorce mediators. San Diego couples benefit in numerous ways from the expertise of the professionals at Divorce Options San Diego. With backgrounds in law, finance, conflict resolution, and psychology, we help couples end their marriages amicably so they can look forward and move on with their lives. To learn more about our revolutionary divorce mediation process, give us a call today at 858-281-2628.
