Financial affidavit tips: Automobile and household expenses

Though some people may be tempted to make general estimations about their income, assets, liabilities and expenses when completing their financial affidavit, this document plays far too crucial a role in your Florida divorce proceeding for such guesswork. As we’ve documented, this legal form provides your Miami divorce lawyer, your spouse’s counsel and the court with a snapshot of your financial position, and is referred to repeatedly throughout this process.

In a previous post, we explained that your monthly expenses are divided into several categories on your financial affidavit. Today, we’ll review two of these sections: automobile and household expenses.

Automobile expenses –  In addition to monthly gas and maintenance costs, the automobile section in the long-form version of the financial affidavit also specifies emission testing, lease payments and the money you spend on alternative forms of transportation (buses, trains, airline flights, etc.). Keep in mind that monthly car insurance payments should also be listed here, rather than in the “insurance” section of this document. If you contribute to – or are responsible for – costs related to your spouse’s vehicle, consult your Miami divorce lawyer about how best to represent these charges here.

Household expenses – This area of your financial affidavit covers everything from rent, taxes and general utilities to meals you pay for outside of the home. Any money that you, individually, spend on the general upkeep of your house from month to month should be noted in this field. As with car insurance, homeowner’s or condominium insurance should be marked in this section.

While sifting through old bank statements, pay stubs and utility bills is undoubtedly time-consuming, doing so now gives you the best chance of reaching a divorce settlement that truly meets your needs. The extra effort on your part in at this stage will help your Miami divorce attorney advocate on your behalf should any disputes arise regarding alimony payments, child support and other contested aspects of your divorce. Contact Scott A. Ferris, Esq. for unparalleled personal attention as you navigate this complex legal matter.