Things can easily get lost in the shuffle of divorce, so your Raleigh divorce lawyer may suggest that you find all your important financial documents, gather them and scan them into a digital file as soon as possible. Your Raleigh divorce lawyer likely knows how big a headache a few lost papers can create, so the sooner you find them, the better.
Whether you share them all with your Raleigh divorce lawyer or not, scanning your financial documents into a secure, easy-to-access file will help you in the long run.
Documents to Find
Your Raleigh divorce lawyer will probably recommend that you find as many of your financial documents as possible. The most important (check with your Raleigh divorce lawyer to be sure) may include:
• Personal income tax returns for the duration of the marriage
• Mortgage documents, deeds and insurance policies
• Vehicle titles, loan documents and insurance policies
• Health insurance policies
• Life insurance policies
• Bank statements
• Other debts, liens and credit card statements
Your Raleigh divorce lawyer may advise you to find other, specific documents that pertain to your case.
Divorce Can Equal Financial Trauma
Without the appropriate documents, your Raleigh divorce lawyer may have a difficult time demonstrating certain aspects of your case to the court. To ensure your financial security, try to provide your Raleigh divorce lawyer with as many documents as you can.
Saving Your Financial Documents to a Digital File
The ideal solution for storing your financial documents is on a digital file; for this reason, your Raleigh divorce lawyer may ask you to scan them into a computer and save them on a flash (thumb) drive, hard drive or disc. Your documents are safer this way, and they can be emailed to your Raleigh divorce lawyer with a few clicks if necessary.
How to Scan Your Financial Documents
If your Raleigh divorce lawyer has asked you to scan your financial documents, you’ll need to find a scanner that can send the files to a computer. Some printers come with this capability.
Generally, printers that have scanning capabilities have a button marked “Scan.” You’ll need to place your document facedown on the glass, as if you were going to copy it, and press the “Scan” button. Usually, on-screen instructions appear on your computer to guide you through the process. Specify a common location where all your scans will be saved so you don’t have to spend time searching for them later.
If your printer does not have scanning capabilities, ask your Raleigh divorce lawyer if there are any local shops that provide scanning services. Often, postal service stores and print shops provide scanning services for a fee.
Losing important financial documents can cause big problems, so if your Raleigh divorce lawyer asks you to locate them and scan them, it’s generally a good idea. Even if your Raleigh divorce lawyer doesn’t make that suggestion, you might want to consider doing it on your own. That way, when your Raleigh divorce lawyer needs them, they’re just a click away.
