Paystubs

[callies]

I have two questions...

I have read on several post that attorneys are asking for 6 months worth of paystubs. First problem my husband did not keep all of his (Argh)

Second...ours has only asked for a few, is this normal?

[AngelinaCat]

Usually they ask for six months so that they can see your pattern of income, as the usuall lookback period from the date you file is usually six months or 180 days. If your husband did not keep all of his paystubs, he can go to the HR department where he works and request a print-out.

You are usually also requested for six months worth of bank statements, and a copy of your income tax returns for the past year. Some districts want two.

[HakunaMatata]

Does your husband receive consistent pay (salary, no overtime, etc.)? If so, this may be why your attorney doesn't need stubs from the full six months.

[callies]

They didn't ask about any of that and I doubled checked their website, sure enough it states a "few" paystubs. Hopefully this is the case because his overtime has when down the tubes!

[AngelinaCat]

Since you are checking the website, does this mean you have not actually talked to the attorney in person?

[callies]

We have our first appointment tomorrow evening. The office also told me a "few" paystubs.

[AngelinaCat]

We have our first appointment tomorrow evening. The office also told me a "few" paystubs.

This sounds like an 'initial consultation'. Trust me, you will end up bringing in six months worth of them if you decide to hire this attorney. You just won't need them all tomorrow.

The financial photograph of your financial situation will be the date you actually submit the paperwork to the court, and get your case number. The trustee will be looking backward in time from that date, to see what your average income and outgo was.

Each time our projected filing date got pushed back, we had to resubmit another six months of paystubs, bank statements and everything else. We had to do this three or four times before we were able to file.

Good luck to you!

[BKDefender]

I always ask for 6 months of paystubs so I can validate that the income the client tells me they make, that is what they have actually made in the past 6 months. I've had times where the client's past 2-3 pay stubs showed an income that normally would put them past the allowable median income, but they had been unemployed for two months during the previous 6 months so they were fine.

--William

[backtoschool]

Six months of paystubs is the norm in most districts. What your lawyer's website is asking for for the initial consultation, has no real bearing on what you will need when you actually file.

You will also need at least six months of bank statements (I had to provide a year's worth) and two years of tax returns (some districts only want your last year's tax return)