The emotional impact of a divorce often leaves you unprepared for the practical and legal steps that follow the decision to end your marriage. Going into a divorce unprepared, however, can leave you vulnerable. It can also lead to a more expensive divorce. While every divorce is unique, there are several things your divorce attorney will likely need from you to get the process started and as the divorce proceeds through the judicial system. Preparing ahead of time will help protect your interests and allow your divorce attorney to move through the process as expeditiously as possible. Toward that end, a Murfreesboro divorce attorney at Bennett, Michael & Hornsby offers the following divorce preparation checklist. 
Preliminary Information
- Your full name, date of birth and social security number
- Your address, telephone number(s), and email address
- Proof of residency (driver’s license, voter registration card)
- Your spouse’s full name, date of birth, and social security number
- Your spouse’s address, telephone number(s), and email address
- Employment information for you and for your spouse (name, address, phone number, length of employment, salary, hourly rate, commissions/bonuses)
- Three years of income tax returns
- Date of the marriage
- Place of the marriage
- Where you want your spouse to be served if you are filing the divorce
- Name and contact information for your spouse’s attorney if he/she has one
- Names, dates of birth, and social security number for all children born of this marriage
Personal Information
- Reason(s) for the divorce if there are allegations of adultery, domestic violence, addiction or criminal behavior that might give rise to a fault divorce.
- Name and contact information of any therapists you went to for marital counseling.
- Where (and with whom) the children currently live.
- If the children from this marriage are covered under health insurance, information on the coverage, including who pays for the coverage.
- Information (names, dates of birth, and social security numbers) for any children of yours or your spouse from a previous relationship
- How much you pay or receive in child support for children from a previous relationship
- How much your spouse pays or receives in child support for children from a previous marriage.
Asset and Debt Information
- Addresses for all property owned jointly with your spouse or that either of you own separately.
- An estimate of the value of all real property owned jointly or separately
- Name and contact information for mortgage companies, monthly payment amounts, and an estimate of the balance due on any mortgage loans
- Year, make, and model of all automobiles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, boats, airplanes, or other motor vehicles owned jointly or separately. Also note who has the vehicle.
- Name and contact information for lenders if any of the vehicles are not paid for in full. Monthly payment amount and an estimate of the balance owed.
- List of livestock, crops, farming or ranching equipment owned by you and/or your spouse and an approximate value.
- List of all joint and separate bank accounts, savings accounts, investment accounts, CDs, credit union accounts, savings bonds, stocks, and mutual funds. Include an approximate value of the funds held in the account.
- List of credit card accounts held jointly or separately and an approximate balance on each account.
- List of retirement accounts, 401Ks, and IRAs along with an estimated balance for each account.
- Information on life insurance policies (who is insured, who are the beneficiaries, and the value of the policy)
- List of any debts owed to you and/or your spouse
- Information relating to any lawsuits you and/or your spouse are parties to.
- Information on any businesses owned by you and/or spouse, including date the business was started, the legal status of the business, annual revenue, and debts.
Do not panic if you cannot gather all this information prior to your initial consultation; however, the checklist gives you a starting point and a list to work from as you move through the divorce process. Your attorney will let you know if there is additional information needed or if anything on the checklist is not needed in your case.
Contact a Murfreesboro Divorce Attorney
If you have additional questions about divorce in Tennessee, it is important that you consult with an experienced Murfreesboro divorce lawyer to ensure that your rights are protected throughout the divorce process. Contact the team at Bennett, Michael & Hornsby as soon as possible by calling 615-898-1560 to schedule your free appointment.
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