Family Law
Rochester Hills Family Law Attorneys / Southfield Divorce Lawyers, West Bloomfield, MI

Michigan Divorce Documents

Several issues arise in a divorce requiring extensive documentation, such as spousal support, child custody, child support and division of marital assets. If you have decided to seek a divorce, you should begin locating and collecting these documents right away.

Spousal Support and Child Support

In a Michigan divorce, the couples may agree to have one spouse provide financial support to the other for a period of time after the marriage ends, or a court may order spousal support. A parent may also be ordered to pay a certain level of child support.

The general issues that will arise in these situations will be the paying spouse’s monthly income, the receiving spouse’s “proper and necessary” monthly expenses and the monthly needs of the child. Some of the documents you will need to support your position will be:

  • Paycheck stubs for both you and your spouse, or if either of you are self-employed, any other proof of income, such as invoices, payment receipts, bank deposit slips, bank statements, financial statements and business ledgers.

  • State and federal individual tax returns, joint tax returns or business tax returns, going back at least three to five years prior to the divorce filing.

  • Employment records and benefits information, including any documents showing your hourly rate, monthly or yearly compensation rate, base pay and commissions, bonuses and any fringe benefits, such as health insurance or deferred compensation plans (profit sharing, 401(k) plans, pensions, IRA accounts or mutual funds).

  • Monthly expenses, including but not limited to taxes, rent, mortgage payments, automobile payments (rental, loan or lease), utilities bills (gas, water, sewer, electricity), cable TV bills, phone bills, insurance payments, credit card payments, student loan payments, grocery store receipts or receipts for necessary business-related clothing, equipment or supplies.

  • Medical expenses, such as examinations, prescriptions and bills for other treatments, such as X-rays, MRIs and CT scans.

  • Educational costs, such as daycare payments, tuition and school supplies.

Equitable Distribution

One of the most contentious issues in a divorce will be the division of marital assets and debts, or equitable distribution. You will need to document property that is considered separate and not subject to distribution, and property that is deemed marital and distributed between you and your spouse. Some documents you will need include:

  • Real property ownership documents, including those relating to a primary residence, vacation home, timeshare, rental property or land. These documents could include deeds, legal property descriptions, mortgage statements (including second mortgages and home equity loans), purchase contracts, insurance, taxes and other assessments. You might also need proof of any improvements made to the property, such as store receipts or contracts with general contractors, painters, carpenters or handymen.

  • Automobile ownership, including purchase contracts, titles, registrations, monthly payment coupons and receipts.

  • Bank account information, such as bank deposit and withdrawal slips, bank statements, checking account and savings account statements.

  • Stock certificates, IRA or mutual funds account statements.

  • Life insurance plans, pension plans or retirement accounts.

  • Personal property receipts, which could include a variety of items, such as furniture, electronics (TVs, DVD players, stereos, computers), jewelry and clothing.

  • Business information, including business tax returns, business ledgers, profit and loss statements, bank statements, contracts, receipts, accounts receivable and business expenses.

Child Custody

If the parties cannot agree on a child custody and visitation arrangement outside of court, a judge will decide for them. The court will focus on what promotes the best interest of the child. To help make this determination, you will need documents that include:

  • Letters, cards, notes or e-mails exchanged between you and the child, showing emotional ties.

  • Participation in your child’s education and other activities, such as signed report cards, permission slips for field trips or photos of you participating with your child in school, church, clubs, sports, hobbies or other activities.

  • Mental health and physical health records, including diagnoses, treatment forms or prescriptions.

  • The same proof of income, assets and debts mentioned above may also be needed to show which parent is best positioned to provide the child with food, clothing, medical care and educational needs as well as a stable, satisfactory environment.

  • Domestic violence matters, including police reports or civil protective orders.

Contact Us

In addition to the above items, many other materials may be needed to resolve the issues that arise in a divorce. The Michigan divorce attorneys at The Stroble Law Firm P.C. take active, personal roles in each and every case and work closely with clients in obtaining the documents necessary to meet their objectives in a divorce.

The divorce lawyers at The Stroble Law Firm P.C. can work with you to track down important materials, such as proof of your income, assets, debts and monthly expenses, and we can take the legal steps necessary to obtain these documents from your spouse. Based in Bloomfield Hills, The Stroble Law Firm represents clients across Michigan, including Macomb County, Oakland County, Warren, Clinton Township, Sterling Heights, St. Clair Shores, Mount Clemens, Utica, Roseville, Troy, Farmington Hills, Waterford, Southfield, Pontiac, Birmingham Michigan, Rochester Hills, West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills. Call The Stroble Law Firm at (888) 454-0801, or contact us online for an evaluation of your claim.