Before Your Session: What to Gather
Mediation works best when both parties come with a clear, honest picture of the finances. You don’t need to bring calculations or proposals — just the underlying information.
Income
- Recent pay stubs (last 2–3 months)
- Most recent tax return
- Documentation of any other income (bonuses, self-employment, rental, investment)
Assets
- Bank account statements (checking, savings)
- Retirement accounts (401(k), IRA, pension statements)
- Investment and brokerage account statements
- Real estate: current mortgage statement and a recent estimate of value
- Vehicles: loan balances and estimated value
- Business interests, if applicable
Debts
- Credit card statements
- Loan balances (auto, personal, student)
- Any joint debts, and who has been paying them
Monthly Expenses
- A rough monthly budget — housing, utilities, childcare, insurance, and the rest
- Especially useful if support or time-sharing costs will be part of the conversation
A Note on This List
Bringing this information doesn’t mean decisions get made for you in mediation — it means you and the other party are working from the same facts. If you’re not sure whether something belongs on this list, bring it anyway; it’s easier to set something aside than to need it and not have it.
This worksheet is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Sun State Mediator does not review your documents in advance or tell you what to bring — when in doubt, ask your attorney.
Related: property & debt division mediation →
Related: alimony & spousal support mediation →