FL All Family 131 Financial Declaration: What You Need for Washington Divorce

Every Washington divorce requires both spouses to file Form FL All Family 131 — a detailed financial declaration submitted under penalty of perjury. It's the court's primary tool for understanding each spouse's financial picture, and it directly influences property division, spousal maintenance, and child support decisions.

Getting this right is one of the most important things you'll do during your divorce. Getting it wrong — or submitting it incomplete — can delay your case and undermine your credibility with the judge.

What the Financial Declaration Covers

FL All Family 131 requires disclosure of your complete financial life:

Income. Gross monthly income from all sources: wages, salary, bonuses, commissions, self-employment, rental income, investment dividends, Social Security, disability, and any other regular payments. You'll also list deductions — federal and state taxes, FICA, mandatory pension contributions, union dues, and health insurance premiums — to arrive at your net monthly income.

Assets. Every asset you own or have an interest in: real property, bank accounts, investment and brokerage accounts, retirement plans (401(k), IRA, pension), vehicles, life insurance cash values, business interests, and personal property of significant value.

Debts. Every liability: mortgages, auto loans, student loans, credit card balances, medical debt, personal loans, and tax obligations.

Monthly expenses. A detailed budget covering housing, utilities, food, transportation, insurance, medical costs, childcare, and other recurring obligations.

The Document Gathering Checklist

Local court rules typically require these supporting documents alongside your declaration:

• 3 years of federal income tax returns with all schedules and W-2s
• 6 consecutive months of pay stubs (most recent)
• 12 months of bank statements for every account — checking, savings, money market
• 12 months of investment and retirement account statements — brokerage, 401(k), IRA, pension benefit statements
• Current mortgage statement showing balance, payment, and escrow
• Credit card statements showing current balances
• Vehicle loan and lease agreements
• Business financial statements (P&L, balance sheet) if self-employed
• Student loan statements

Start gathering these immediately after filing. The disclosure timeline varies by county, but some courts require documents within 14–30 days of filing.

Sealing Sensitive Financial Records

Here's something many self-represented litigants don't know: court filings are generally public records. Your bank account numbers, investment balances, and tax returns would be accessible to anyone who requests the file — unless you seal them.

Form FL All Family 011 (Sealed Financial Source Documents) is the cover sheet that keeps your sensitive financial documents out of the public record. When you file your supporting documents, staple them behind the FL All Family 011 cover sheet and submit them separately from your main filing. The clerk seals them so only the parties, their attorneys, and the judge can access them.

Also consider FL All Civil 040 for additional confidential documents that don't fit the family law cover sheet.

Common Mistakes That Hurt Your Case

Underreporting income. Failing to include bonuses, side income, rental payments, or investment returns. The other side's attorney will compare your declaration to your tax returns — any discrepancy destroys your credibility.

Forgetting to include separate property. The declaration requires listing all assets, not just community property. Even if you believe an asset is separate, it must be disclosed. You can note it as separate — but you cannot omit it.

Guessing at values. Use actual account statements, not estimates. "Approximately $15,000 in savings" doesn't satisfy the penalty-of-perjury standard. Pull the actual balance on a specific date and reference the statement.

Filing late. Late or incomplete disclosures can result in sanctions, adverse inferences (the court assumes the worst about hidden assets), or delays in your case. Treat the disclosure deadline as the most important date on your calendar.

Using the Declaration Strategically

The FL All Family 131 isn't just a bureaucratic exercise — it's the foundation of your entire negotiation. Your reported income determines spousal maintenance eligibility. Your asset list becomes the baseline for property division. Your expense statement shapes arguments about who needs the house, who can afford to refinance, and what standard of living the court should aim to preserve.

Complete it thoroughly, support every number with a document, and seal anything sensitive.

The Washington Divorce Financial Split Guide includes a document assembly checklist that maps directly to the FL All Family 131 categories, helping you organize everything the court needs before your first disclosure deadline.

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