I need your entire divorce decree, any amendments, and any additional court documents for any changes over the years. Yes, this is very personal but you need to know a couple things: Neither I nor underwriters have the time to read these in their entirety. We skim them for the pertinent info pertaining to your child support and alimony so there is not a single instance where I have actually read the circumstances surrounding a divorce. Second, these are public records. Anyone can see them or obtain them if they want to, so holding them back just creates delays.  I had a borrower provide me the most recent amendment to their child support agreement but had an absolute fit about providing the entire divorce decree because it was apparently a nasty divorce. No level of assurance from my end would make my borrower budge. The loan was going to die in underwriting because of this. Lending regulations require the underwriter to see the entire document to trace any and all payments received or obligations. I finally just contacted the court and they faxed them right over while I was on the phone. To this day I have no idea what was in them, nor do I care. It cleared underwriting without an issue and the loan closed.

Along with the divorce decree we will also need to show these payments being deposited into your bank account because, particularly when it comes to child support, there is what the court orders and there is what is actually received.