离婚前,女性应准备这三份文件
Tax returns Your tax returns are a treasure trove of information. As a financial advisor, it is surprising that many women sign their tax return without really understanding the data reported on the documents. Ideally, you should have access to tax returns for the most recent three years as well as the supporting documents used to prepare those returns, including W-2, 1099 and K-1 forms. If you do not have access to a return, you should either contact your tax preparer or complete IRS Form 4506 to request a copy. Lifestyle analysis It is critical that you gain an understanding of what your expenses are both before and after a divorce. When outlining your expenses, be realistic and do not leave anything out. Often, a one-time expense develops into a recurring expense, resulting in an underestimation of your true spending needs. While government statistics show that we are currently in a low-inflation world, this often does not translate into reality. Health care and education costs have increased at a faster rate than core inflation. Underestimating expenses could derail your long-term plans. Fortunately, there are tools to simplify the collection of this data. Online expense trackers, such as mint.com or mvelopes.com, streamline the process and link directly to your bank and credit card accounts to pull necessary information. In addition to online trackers, you should secure three years' worth of your monthly bank and credit card statements to verify prior spending. It is important for you to determine not only historical spending, but also likely spending in the future. Net-worth statement Ultimately, you will need to file a financial affidavit that provides the courts with an assessment of you and your spouse's current financial situation, including income, expenses, assets and liabilities. Tax returns should provide clarity about income. The lifestyle analysis will bring greater understanding of your spending, while the net-worth statement will tally your assets and liabilities. Knowing how to access this information is critical to ensure that the reported amount is correct, but also to confirm there are no omissions. You should secure supporting documents regarding any investment, banking and savings accounts, as well as information about any employer-sponsored retirement plans. |