Documents to gather for a divorce filing

A complete file at the first meeting saves weeks. The list below covers the documents most Texas divorces require. Bring what you have - we will tell you what we still need.

Identity and marriage

• Marriage certificate (certified copy preferred)
• Driver license or state ID for both spouses
• Social Security cards for each spouse and each child
• Birth certificates for each child of the marriage
• Any prior divorce decrees, prenuptial or postnuptial agreements

Income

• Last 3 months of pay stubs for both spouses
• Last 2 years of federal tax returns (with W-2 and 1099 forms)
• Self-employment records: profit-and-loss statements, 1099s, business bank statements
• Any award letters: Social Security, disability, VA, child support received

Assets

• Most recent statements for every checking and savings account
• Most recent statements for every retirement account (401k, IRA, pension)
• Most recent statements for any brokerage or crypto account
• Deeds for any real property; recent mortgage statement; appraisal if available
• Vehicle titles or current loan statements; recent KBB value

Debts

• Most recent statement for every credit card
• Student loan balances and servicer
• Personal loans, medical debt, and any judgments
• List of monthly bills paid out of the joint account

Children and household

• School and daycare information for each child
• Health insurance cards for each spouse and child; current premium
• Calendar of who has been picking up and dropping off in the last 90 days
• Any protective orders, CPS reports, or police reports involving the household

If you cannot find a document, bring a note that says where it is and who has access. We can subpoena records the other side controls.