The divorce checklist
Everything to gather, file, and finish, in the order it actually happens. Print it, screenshot it, or work through it with us handling the paperwork part.
Before you file
Most of the friction in a divorce filing comes from starting before the groundwork is done. An hour here saves weeks later.
- Confirm you meet your state's residency window (and your county's, where one applies)
- Agree on the big four: the home, money, debts, and a parenting plan if you have kids
- Get a copy of your marriage certificate
- List what you own and owe, with current balances and account numbers
- Pull your last two tax returns and a month of recent pay stubs for both spouses
- Open an individual checking account if all of yours are joint
- Decide who lives where while the case is pending
Filing and serving
This is the procedural middle. Every item here is something a clerk or a statute will actually check.
- Complete the petition and every county-required companion form
- Sign where required, with a notary where your state insists on one
- Make the number of copies your clerk expects
- File with the clerk and pay the filing fee, or submit a fee-waiver request
- Have your spouse served, or have them sign a waiver of service
- Calendar your state's waiting period so the finish date is never a mystery
After the decree
The divorce is legally done when the judge signs. Practically, it's done when this list is empty.
- Order several certified copies of the decree from the clerk
- Update your name with the SSA, DMV, your bank, and your employer if it changed
- Retitle vehicles and real estate the way the agreement says
- Close or split every remaining joint account and card
- Update beneficiaries on retirement accounts and life insurance
- Rewrite your will and medical directives
- Set up the payment method and record-keeping for any support ordered
This checklist is general information, not legal advice. States and counties add their own steps, so treat your court's instructions as the final word.
No pressure, ever
Start when you're ready
The qualification check is free and takes about two minutes. Your answers save automatically, and nothing is owed until your documents are built.