The Financial Documents to Gather Before a North Carolina Divorce

Preparation

Property, support and alimony are decided on documents. Here is exactly what to gather, and which date each statement needs to cover.

On this page

1. Why this matters
2. Income
3. Accounts and property
4. Debt
5. Children
6. Build the budget

Why this is the highest-value evening you will spend

Property division, support and alimony are all decided on documents. The party who arrives with organized records controls the conversation; the party who arrives with estimates spends money arguing about numbers that a statement would have settled.

How documents move a case

Cases where both sides work from the same documents settle several times faster than cases where each side brought its own estimate.

Income

• Your three most recent pay statements, and your spouse’s if you have access.
• The last two years of tax returns with all schedules, W-2s and 1099s.
• Documentation of bonuses, commissions, overtime and seasonal income.
• If self-employed: profit and loss statement, business return, and owner draws.
• The cost of health insurance through your employer, and what the family tier costs.

Accounts, retirement and property

Category	What to pull	Which date
Checking and savings	Statements for every account, both names	Separation month and most recent
Brokerage	Statements and cost basis where available	Separation month
Retirement	401(k), 403(b), IRA, TSP, pension statements	Separation month; plus pre-marital balance if any
Real estate	Mortgage statement, payoff figure, market analysis or appraisal	Separation month
Vehicles	Loan payoff and a valuation printout	Separation month
Life insurance	Policy summary with cash value	Current
Business interests	Two to three years of returns and a balance sheet	Separation month
Separate property	Pre-marital statements, inheritance records, deeds	Whatever proves the tracing

Debt

Debt is classified the same way as assets. Pull statements for every credit card, personal loan, student loan and line of credit, showing the balance as of the date of separation. Also pull a credit report for yourself; joint obligations you forgot about will surface there rather than in a conversation.

Children

• Actual monthly child care cost, with documentation.
• The child-attributable portion of health insurance.
• Uninsured medical and dental expenses from the past year.
• Extracurricular and activity costs, including travel sports.
• The school calendar for the district the children attend.
• Both parents’ actual work schedules, honestly described.

Build the budget nobody wants to build

A realistic monthly budget for your new household is the single most useful document you can bring to a support negotiation, and the one most people skip. It answers the question the court actually asks — what do you reasonably need — and it tells you, before you agree to anything, whether the number on the table is survivable.

The client who brings a budget gets a better result than the client who brings an argument.Christopher Adkins, Adkins Law

Frequently asked questions

What date should my statements cover?

The month of the date of separation, because marital property is valued as of that date. Bring current statements as well.

What if I cannot access my spouse’s accounts?

Bring what you have. Formal discovery exists precisely to obtain the rest, and a mediator or attorney can identify what is missing.

Do I need an appraisal?

Often a comparative market analysis is enough for a home. Businesses, unusual real estate and closely held interests generally need a valuation professional.

How far back do I need tax returns?

Two years is a typical starting point, and more if income varies or a business is involved.

Bring the file, get a real answer

With documents in hand, Adkins Law can tell you what your case actually looks like rather than what it might look like. Call or text to find out what applies to you.

Call Adkins Law (704) 274-5677Text (704) 231-5762Request a consultation

Adkins Law, PLLC · 9620 Sherrill Estates Road, Huntersville, NC 28078 · Calling or texting does not create an attorney–client relationship.

Keep reading

• Equitable distribution
• Child support
• Alimony
• How a family case works

About the author: Christopher Adkins

Chris Adkins is the founder of Adkins Law, PLLC in Huntersville, North Carolina, a certified mediator with the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission, a parenting coordinator, and the author of The Book on Divorce in North Carolina. He previously served six and a half years as a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer and served as a Combat Engineer officer in the North Carolina Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve, deploying to Kuwait in 2012–2013.

Read the full profile · Request a consultation · (704) 274-5677

This page provides general information about North Carolina law for educational purposes. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Statutes, court rules and local practice change, and the outcome of any case depends on its own facts. Speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney about your situation. Written by Christopher Adkins, attorney at Adkins Law, PLLC, Huntersville, North Carolina.