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take two very nice vacations a year ($5,000 total); the monthly mortgage on their house is $1,000 ($12,000 total); the monthly mortgage on their summer house is $500 ($6,000 total); and each party drives a leased car at a combined cost of $500 a month ($6,000 total). Grand total: $49,000. That leaves $1,000 for taxes, food, utilities, clothing, pet supplies, and so on. Clearly, there's more income here than has been reported. Bank statements, credit card receipts, canceled checks, and the like all help prove real, as opposed to reported, income. You may also need tax returns simply to prove how much income you or your spouse earns, even if you work for someone else. |
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If you can't find any of these documents or you never saved them, you can write the Internal Revenue Service for copies of joint returns, or you can ask your accountant for copies. The bank may keep copies of loan applications and may be willing to release a copy of your application to you. For a fee, although it tends to get expensive, you can obtain copies of canceled checks and your bank statements. (Before incurring that expense, check with your attorney. He or she may be able to get the same information directly from your spouse's attorney. In most instances, the divorce law of your state entitles you to this information if your spouse has it or has access to it.) |
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The point is, once the dust has cleared and you can focus in, you may need to do a little digging in preparation for the legal proceedings to come. A divorce trial can sometimes be like a war, and you want to go to battle fully armed. Who wouldn't? |
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