According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the typical marriage in the U.S. ends in divorce after only eight years. A divorce is a life-changing event you want to navigate as smoothly as possible. That's where hiring a quality divorce attorney can make a world of difference. The divorce process entails various paperwork, documents, and forms. Knowing what to bring for your attorney to represent you best can be challenging. Below is a list of documents you should bring to your divorce attorney.

Income-Related Documents

There are a variety of income-related documents that you should provide to your divorce attorney before the beginning of your divorce. These documents may not come into play with every case. That said, income-related documents are essential in certain situations. For instance, suppose you and your spouse cannot agree on a division of assets. The court will use these documents to determine the division in such a case.

Automobile Ownership Documents

Your divorce attorney will want access to a complete record of all your automobile ownership. The lawyer may also seek to take a look at the leasing documents for your entire marriage. These documents include any leases or contracts you may have signed on vehicles. It may also entail any registration papers you may have filed with your driver's license.

Joint Financial Account Documents

The divorce attorney needs to see the most recent statements from your bank, credit card company, and brokerage accounts. They may also ask for a report of the last two years of your tax returns. This is necessary if you are asking for a division of assets based on net worth. An example of this is when you agree to divide your assets into cash or equity. In some states, you must also provide the lawyers with automatic or coded signature lines.

Marital Debts Documents

Most people believe there are no assets besides the home. In reality, there are usually a variety of assets that can be subject to division. Your divorce attorney will want to see any reports on debt you have between you and your spouse. These documents include any judgments you may have gotten in the past six months. Your attorney must draft a detailed and thorough list of marital debts. For this reason, you must gather information from all possible sources, including private lenders.

Divorce is hard enough without the added stress of figuring out what documents your lawyer needs for your case. Submitting the above documents helps your lawyer ensure they cover all the bases in the divorce process. Consider speaking with a divorce attorney today to ensure you get through the divorce as quickly and successfully as possible. Give Dwyer Knight Law a call today to learn more about the divorce process and the documents you require to provide your divorce lawyer.