Twice a week, our CEO and resident money guru Jean Chatzky tackles your burning questions in the HerMoney newsletter. We’ve pulled some of the best to feature on our website — and this one made the cut! Got a question for Jean? Send it her way right here.
Q: It’s been 15 years since I got divorced. I remember my lawyer saying to keep my decree until I die, plus probate-related documents. But what about the 8 inches of paperwork leading up to the finale, including a stack of correspondence with lawyers and QRDO-related documents? What can I get rid of?
A: Not only are divorces expensive, but they can also leave you buried in piles of paperwork. Experts say there are things you definitely need to keep and others that can be put immediately in the “shred me” pile.
As Lauren Crane, Esq., a partner at Bender & Crane, explains, holding onto the right documents post-divorce is critical. “After a divorce, people should retain the QDRO, which is the order distributing specific retirement assets [as well as] the Judgment of Divorce, and any agreement or order that the Judgment of Divorce is based upon.”
All the other paperwork? Consider this your permission to get rid of it. “There is no need to retain all of those other documents, as they merely take up space and will not be helpful or useful in the future,” adds Crane.
MORE ON HERMONEY:
- Surviving The Squeeze: Why Corinne Low Got Divorced, Ditched Her Commute & Started Dating Women
- Divorce And The Stay-At-Home Mom: Tips For Moving Forward Financially
- How To Get A Divorce With No Money (And No Lawyer)
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