Sworn Inventory and Appraisement Texas: How to Prepare Yours

What the Sworn Inventory Is (and Why Courts Require It)

The Sworn Inventory and Appraisement is a notarized document that lists every asset and every debt either spouse owns or owes at the time of divorce. Most Texas District Courts require it as part of the discovery process, and in some counties — Harris, Dallas, Tarrant — local rules make it mandatory before a case can be set for trial.

You sign it under oath. Deliberately omitting a material asset, understating its value, or mischaracterizing community property as separate can expose you to perjury and other sanctions. Courts have the power to impose sanctions, award a disproportionate share to the other spouse, or provide post-decree relief if hidden assets surface later.

Documents You Need to Gather

Before you can fill out the inventory, you need the underlying records. Pull these for the most recent 24 months:

Income and employment:

• Pay stubs (most recent 2 months minimum, 24 months ideal)
• Federal tax returns (last 2 years, including all schedules)
• W-2s and 1099s
• Self-employment profit/loss statements

Bank and investment accounts:

• Checking and savings account statements (all accounts, both spouses)
• Brokerage and investment account statements
• Stock option or RSU vesting schedules
• Cryptocurrency exchange statements

Retirement accounts:

• 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) statements showing current balance and pre-marital balance
• IRA statements (traditional and Roth)
• Pension benefit estimates (TRS, ERS, TCDRS, military)
• Social Security benefit statements

Real property:

• Mortgage statements showing current balance
• Property tax appraisals (county appraisal district records)
• Recent appraisal or comparable market analysis
• Homeowner's insurance declarations page
• Deeds and title documents

Debts:

• Credit card statements (every card, both names)
• Auto loan payoff amounts
• Student loan balances
• Medical bills
• Personal loan or line-of-credit statements
• Tax debt (IRS or state comptroller)

Vehicles and personal property:

• Vehicle titles and registration
• Kelley Blue Book or NADA values for each vehicle
• Appraisals for jewelry, art, collectibles, or firearms when their value is disputed or material to the estate

How to Organize the Inventory

The inventory categorizes each item into one of three columns:

1. Community property — assets and debts acquired during the marriage
2. Separate property of Spouse A — assets owned before marriage, gifts, inheritances, or personal injury recoveries
3. Separate property of Spouse B — same categories for the other spouse

For each item, you list the description, the fair market value (not what you paid for it), and any encumbrance or debt against it. Net equity — fair market value minus the debt — is what actually gets divided.

Valuation Pitfalls

Retirement accounts. List the current account balance, but flag the pre-marital contribution amount separately. Only the community portion (contributions and growth during the marriage) is subject to division.

The family home. Use a recent appraisal or the county appraisal district's assessed value as a starting point. If you disagree on the value, either party can hire an independent appraiser. Do not rely on Zillow estimates as the sole evidence in court filings — they are not a substitute for an appraisal or other valuation evidence.

Vehicles. Kelley Blue Book private-party value is the standard. Not the dealer trade-in value, and not the retail price.

Business interests. If either spouse owns a business or professional practice, you may need a formal business valuation. The inventory should list the business and note that valuation is pending rather than guessing at a number.

The Chapter 301 Disclosure Connection

Since September 2023, Texas Family Code Chapter 301 governs mandatory financial disclosures. Disclosures are not automatic — you or your attorney must serve a formal Request for Disclosure under § 301.051. Once served, the other party has 30 days to respond with supporting documents. The Sworn Inventory and the Chapter 301 disclosures overlap significantly, but they are separate documents. Completing one does not satisfy the other.

Getting It Right the First Time

An incomplete or disorganized inventory weakens your negotiating position and can delay the case. The Texas Divorce Financial Split & Asset Division Guide provides a structured asset and debt inventory framework that walks you through each category, calculates net equity automatically, and flags items that need separate-property tracing — so your Sworn Inventory is complete before you sit down with a notary.

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