What is a financial affidavit?

A sworn statement of your income, expenses, assets and debts, filed in family court cases like divorce, child support and alimony so the court and the other party can see your full financial picture.

Where do I get the form?

From your state or county family court, which publishes its own mandatory version. Many states offer a short form for lower incomes and a long form above a set income threshold.

Does a financial affidavit have to be notarized?

Usually yes. It is sworn under penalty of perjury, so most courts require notarization or a signed declaration to that effect before you file it.

What happens if I leave something out?

Because it is sworn, an inaccurate affidavit can be treated as perjury and can badly damage your case. The other side can demand pay stubs and statements, so anything hidden tends to surface.

Do both spouses file one?

In most divorce and support cases, yes, each party files their own financial affidavit so the court can compare both sides before deciding support or dividing property.

Financial Affidavit: How to Complete One for Court

General information, not legal or financial advice. Every court has its own mandatory form and rules. Use the worksheet to prepare your figures, then complete the official form your court requires.

The essentials: a financial affidavit is a sworn snapshot of your money, your income, monthly expenses, what you own and what you owe, filed in family court cases such as divorce, child support and alimony. Your court publishes the exact form; there is no single national one. The worksheet below helps you total your numbers first so the official form goes faster and comes out consistent.

Total your finances ↓

Financial affidavit worksheet

Enter your income, expenses, assets and debts to see your monthly cash flow and net worth. Transfer the totals onto your court's official form. Nothing is stored.

When does a court ask for one?

A financial affidavit shows up whenever money is on the table in family court. Divorce is the obvious case, but the same document drives child support, spousal support, and any later request to change those amounts. The court needs an honest picture of both households to split property fairly and set support that matches real income, so each spouse typically files one and the judge reads them side by side. Some states also require it before a case can even move forward, holding up the schedule until both affidavits are in. If you have been served with divorce or support papers, check the deadline attached, because a missed financial affidavit can stall your case or let the other side proceed without your input.

Short form or long form?

Many states split the affidavit into two versions, and picking the right one matters. A short form is meant for people below an income line the state sets, often somewhere around fifty thousand dollars a year, and it asks for less detail. Above that line you file the long form, which digs into every income source, a line-by-line monthly budget, and a full list of assets and debts. Your court's website labels which is which, and using the wrong one usually gets the filing bounced. The worksheet here works for either, since both come down to the same four buckets: what comes in, what goes out, what you own, and what you owe.

The part people get wrong

Two mistakes sink financial affidavits, and both are avoidable. The first is treating the monthly expense section as a wish list, padding it to look broke; opposing counsel will ask for the bank statements, and inflated numbers collapse fast under that scrutiny. The second is quietly leaving something off, a side gig, a second account, a car, on the theory it will not come up. It comes up. Remember this is sworn under penalty of perjury, which is not a formality: a false affidavit can be treated as a crime and, more immediately, torches your credibility with the judge deciding your case. Report the real figures, keep the pay stubs and statements that prove each one, and let accuracy be your advantage.

Common questions

What is a financial affidavit?: A sworn statement of your income, expenses, assets and debts, filed in family court cases like divorce, child support and alimony so the court and the other party can see your finances.
Where do I get the form?: From your state or county family court, which publishes its own version. Many states offer a short form for lower incomes and a long form above a set income threshold.
Does it have to be notarized?: Usually yes. It is sworn under penalty of perjury, so most courts require notarization or a signed declaration before you file.
What if I leave something out?: Because it is sworn, an inaccurate affidavit can be treated as perjury and can damage your case. The other side can demand pay stubs and statements, so hidden items tend to surface.
Do both spouses file one?: In most divorce and support cases, yes. Each party files their own so the court can compare both sides before deciding support or dividing property.

Written by the Trámites Notariales US editorial team, drawing on state family-court rules and published court forms. Requirements and income thresholds vary by state; use your court's official form.