Financial Document Checklist for Divorce
Gather the right documents before your first consultation. This checklist covers everything your attorney will need — income records, asset statements, tax returns, and more — so you arrive prepared and make the most of your time.
Everything you need to understand the New York divorce process — from grounds for divorce and equitable distribution to spousal maintenance, child custody, and how long it all takes.
- Grounds for divorce in New York
- Contested vs. uncontested divorce explained
- Equitable distribution of marital property
- How spousal maintenance is calculated
- Child custody and the "best interests" standard
- New York Child Support guidelines (CSSA)
- Step-by-step divorce process timeline
- How to choose the right divorce attorney
A practical step-by-step checklist that walks you through everything you should do before filing for divorce — from securing your finances to protecting your children's stability.
- Immediate safety and privacy steps
- Financial documents to gather now
- How to protect your credit and accounts
- What not to do before you file
- Children and custody preparation tips
- Questions to ask your attorney
- Urgent action items clearly flagged
- Printable format — check off as you go
Why Download These Guides?
New York–Specific
Written specifically for New York law — not generic national content. Covers NY's equitable distribution rules, CSSA child support formula, and maintenance guidelines.
Cuts Through the Confusion
Divorce law is complex. These guides translate legal jargon into plain English so you can have an informed conversation with your attorney from day one.
Save Money on Legal Fees
The more prepared you are, the less time your attorney needs to spend bringing you up to speed — which directly lowers your legal costs.
Protect Your Interests
Many people make costly mistakes in the early stages of divorce simply because they didn't know what not to do. These guides help you avoid the most common pitfalls.
About the Authors
26+ Combined Years of Family Law Experience
These guides were prepared by the attorneys at Weinrieb Law — a family law firm based in Williamsville, NY that has exclusively handled divorce, custody, and family law matters for 16+ years.
Attorney Pieter Weinrieb is a certified mediator and one of the most experienced divorce attorneys in Erie County. The firm's dual-attorney model gives clients access to senior oversight on every case.
Firm Credentials
- Certified Mediator — Pieter G. Weinrieb, Esq.
- 26+ combined years in family law
- Dual-Attorney Team for Full Case Coverage
- Avvo Client's Choice Award
- 5.0 Google Rating
- Serving All of Erie & Niagara Counties
Ready to Talk to an Attorney?
Our free guides are a great starting point — but every case is different. Contact Weinrieb Law for a confidential consultation.
Ready to put the numbers together?
Once you have gathered these documents, the next step is the document they feed into. Our Statement of Net Worth form walks through assets, debts, income, and monthly expenses, tags each item marital or separate, and prints a summary you can hand to your attorney. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Where this checklist leads
Gathering these documents is not busywork. They feed the Statement of Net Worth — the sworn financial disclosure required in every contested New York matrimonial action under Domestic Relations Law § 236(B)(4) and Uniform Rule 22 NYCRR § 202.16(b). Nearly every number that follows in your case is built on it: temporary maintenance, child support, counsel fees, and the shape of the settlement itself. Once you have the documents, fill in the Statement of Net Worth here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Divorce Financial Disclosure
What financial documents do I need for a divorce in New York?
At minimum: your last three pay stubs, the last two years of federal and state tax returns with W-2s and 1099s, the most recent statement for every bank, brokerage, and retirement account, your mortgage statement and a value for any real estate, loan and credit card statements, life insurance policies showing any cash value, and business records if you hold an interest in a company. These are the documents that feed the sworn Statement of Net Worth.
Why does my divorce attorney need my tax returns?
Tax returns are the single most useful document in a divorce. They establish income for the child support and maintenance formulas, they reveal sources of income a pay stub does not show — rental income, dividends, business distributions, capital gains — and they can expose assets a spouse has not disclosed. Uniform Rule 22 NYCRR § 202.16(b) requires them to accompany your Statement of Net Worth.
What if I cannot access my spouse's financial records?
You do not need them to start. Financial disclosure in a New York matrimonial action is compulsory under DRL § 236(B)(4): both spouses must serve a sworn Statement of Net Worth. If a spouse fails to disclose or is suspected of concealing assets, your attorney can compel production through subpoenas, document demands, and depositions, and a court can draw a negative inference against a spouse who hides assets.
How far back do I need financial records for a divorce?
Two to three years is the usual starting point for income documents, and longer where separate property is being traced. If you are claiming an asset is separate — an inheritance, a premarital account, a gift — you may need records going back to the date you acquired it, in order to show it was never commingled with marital funds. Those tracing records are often the hardest to reconstruct and the most valuable to have.