Pittsburgh Divorce Preparation Checklist

Several have downstream consequences. Work through them before retaining counsel.

• Considered counseling, mediation, or reconciliation. Divorce is final. Where reconciliation is possible, it deserves a real attempt before filing. Where it isn't, filing prepared and represented is the better path.
• Read about legal separation as a possible alternative. Pennsylvania does not have a formal "legal separation" status, but separation has real legal meaning — it triggers the date used for equitable distribution, support eligibility, and the one-year clock for a § 3301(d) divorce.
• Confirmed Pennsylvania residency requirement is met. Either spouse must have lived in Pennsylvania for at least the six months prior to filing.
• Identified the likely ground for divorce. Mutual consent under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3301(c) is the fastest path when both spouses agree. Irretrievable breakdown under § 3301(d) requires a one-year separation period.

For both spouses, where accessible. Self-employed and equity-compensated spouses require additional records.

• Federal and state tax returns — last three years (personal and business).
• W-2s and 1099s — last three years.
• Recent pay stubs — last six months.Year-to-date figures are essential for support calculations.
• Bonus, commission, RSU, and equity-compensation statements.Vesting schedules, grant dates, and equity plan documents — particularly for executive and finance-industry spouses.
• Self-employment income records and business financial statements.Profit and loss statements, balance sheets, K-1s, and any business valuation work product.
• Rental, investment, royalty, Social Security, disability, or trust income.

Title and date of acquisition matter for separating marital from non-marital property under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3501.

• Bank statements — every account, last twelve months.
• Brokerage and investment account statements — last twelve months.
• Retirement account statements — 401(k), 403(b), IRA, pension, deferred compensation.Retirement accounts often require a Qualified Domestic Relations Order to divide. Plan documents matter as much as balances.
• Real estate deeds, mortgage statements, and current valuations.
• Vehicle titles, registrations, and loan balances.
• Business ownership documentation.Operating agreements, shareholder records, formation documents, recent valuations.
• Life insurance policies — including any cash value or whole-life accumulation.
• Significant personal property — jewelry, art, collections, firearms, recreational vehicles.
• Cryptocurrency holdings and digital wallet records.

Marital debt is divided alongside marital assets. Documentation is the same work, the other direction.

• Credit card statements — every card, last twelve months.
• Mortgage and home equity loan documents.
• Auto loans, student loans, personal loans, and lines of credit.
• Business debt and personally guaranteed obligations.
• Credit reports from all three bureaus.Free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Pull yours; the spouse may have opened accounts you don't know about.

• Health insurance — policy details, dependents covered, COBRA implications.
• Auto, homeowners, and renter's insurance policies.
• Disability and long-term care policies.
• Life insurance — beneficiaries, term, cash value if any.

Prudent baseline measures while the case is being prepared. None aggressive.

• Confirmed access to marital funds.If you have been removed from accounts or expect you may be, document the situation and discuss with counsel before acting.
• Monitored joint credit lines and considered freeze if appropriate.
• Documented unusual spending or transfers by either spouse.
• Drafted a post-separation budget.Two households cost more than one. Knowing the gap is essential to thinking about support and equitable distribution realistically.
• Stored copies of key documents securely outside the marital home.Encrypted cloud storage, a trusted family member's home, or a safe deposit box in your name only.

Things to evaluate before retaining.

• Confirmed experience with Pennsylvania family law and Allegheny County procedure specifically.Family law is intensely local. The way a case proceeds in Allegheny County is different from how it proceeds in Beaver, Butler, or Westmoreland.
• Verified fit with the matter's complexity profile.Uncontested cases with a drafted MSA, contested equitable distribution involving business interests, executive compensation, or PFA exposure all reward different practitioners.
• Confirmed who actually handles the case.In firms with multiple attorneys, your matter may be handed to associates or paralegals. Ask directly: who picks up when I call, who shows up at the conciliation, who reads the MSA before it's signed.
• Understood the fee structure and what triggers additional billing.Hourly rate, retainer requirement, whether emails and calls are billed, how expert fees are handled.
• Discussed expected timeline and likely points of resolution.

• Certified marriage certificate.Obtain from the county where the marriage license was issued.
• Prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, if any.Signed original, including any side letters or amendments.
• Existing court orders.Prior support orders, custody orders, Protection from Abuse orders, any bankruptcy filings — current or historical.
• Significant correspondence about the marriage or finances.Emails, texts, or letters that document material facts. Not random arguments — documentation that supports financial or factual positions.

• Birth certificates.
• Social Security cards.
• School records, IEPs or 504 plans, recent report cards.
• Medical and mental-health records, insurance information, immunization records.
• Extracurricular schedules, childcare provider details, tutor and therapist contacts.
• Acknowledgment of Paternity (if unwed parents).An AOP signed at the hospital or post-birth establishes paternity legally.

Custody decisions in Allegheny County turn on the statutory factors. Documentation of who has actually been doing the parenting work matters more than asserted preferences.

• Current de facto custody and visitation schedule.
• Day-to-day caregiving role of each parent.Drop-off, pickup, homework, bedtime, doctor visits, school communication, who knows the pediatrician's name without checking.
• School and activity participation history.
• Medical appointment attendance and decision-making history.

• Maintained routines as much as possible.
• Considered child counseling or therapy if appropriate.
• Avoided discussing legal proceedings with children.Children should never be put in the position of carrying messages, choosing sides, or hearing characterizations of the other parent.
• Aware that the Children's Issues Seminar (Generations) is required for parents in Allegheny County custody matters.The Generations program is currently administered remotely via Microsoft Teams.

Pennsylvania does not require physical separation before filing. Many spouses continue to live in the marital home during the proceedings. See our discussion of leaving the marital home.

• Considered who remains in the marital home, and the implications of that decision.
• Reviewed alternative housing options if a move is needed.School district considerations matter where children are involved.
• Identified which spouse pays mortgage, utilities, and insurance during the case.

• Documented significant interactions with the other spouse.
• Used email or text for important communications.Written communication creates a record. Phone calls do not.
• Avoided confrontational discussions in writing or in front of children.Anything written will likely be read by a hearing officer or judge.

• Created a file system for case documents.
• Maintained a calendar for deadlines, hearings, and exchanges.
• Backed up important documents to encrypted cloud storage.

• Identified whether the Children's Issues Seminar (Generations) is required.Required for parents in custody matters. Currently administered remotely via Microsoft Teams.
• Understood the role of the Divorce Hearing Officer.Most contested equitable distribution matters resolve at one or more DHO conciliations. Conciliations are held at the City-County Building, Suite 700½, across Grant Street from the Family Law Center.
• For matters with custody — aware of the Custody Hearing Officer process.Custody conciliations and trials proceed through the Hearing Officer system, with judges available for motions and trial as needed.

• Prepared to respond to discovery requests promptly and completely.Document requests, interrogatories, and depositions are routine in contested cases. The work is faster and cheaper if Phase 1 was done thoroughly.
• Tracked all discovery deadlines.
• Committed to truthful, complete responses.Discovery responses are made under oath. Misstatements have consequences far beyond the immediate matter.

Most matters resolve before trial. The strength of settlement is the strength of the financial and factual presentation.

• Identified what genuinely matters most in the equitable distribution and any custody arrangement.
• Considered mediation or collaborative law as resolution paths.
• Reviewed our overview of the marital settlement agreement process.

• Property division terms reviewed line by line.
• Custody and visitation provisions, if applicable, are workable in practice.
• Child support and spousal support / alimony provisions are fully understood.
• Tax consequences of the agreement have been discussed.Filing status, dependency claims, retirement transfers, and support tax treatment all affect what the agreement actually delivers.
• Modification and enforcement mechanisms are clear.

• Updated will and estate-planning documents.
• Updated beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance.
• Initiated name change, if desired.
• Updated health, auto, and home insurance policies.
• Established separate banking and credit relationships.
• Built a sustainable post-divorce budget.