The Illinois Financial Affidavit is the sworn, court-ordered snapshot of every dollar a party earns, owns, owes, and spends, and Illinois Supreme Court Rule 13.3.1 forces every party in a divorce, parentage, child support, or maintenance case to file it. The form is signed under the perjury warning of 735 ILCS 5/1-109, which means a wrong number is not just a clerical error. A wrong number is a sworn lie that a judge can punish.
Illinois courts review tens of thousands of these affidavits every year, and the Illinois Office of the Attorney General reports that more than 60% of contested divorce hearings turn on disputes traced back to the financial affidavit. Filers walk into court angry, scared, or both, and a single missing pay stub can delay temporary support for weeks. This guide walks you through every line of the statewide form approved by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice, plus the Cook County Comprehensive Financial Statement under Cook County Local Rule 13.3.1, so you can file once and file right.
- 📋 How to find, download, and identify the correct revision of the statewide and Cook County forms.
- 💵 Exactly how to compute gross vs. net monthly income, including self-employment and bonuses.
- 🏠 How to separate marital from non-marital assets without triggering a sanction under Supreme Court Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/).
- 🧾 The eight supporting documents you must attach, and what happens when one is missing.
- ⚖️ Three filled-out scenarios, twelve FAQs, and the ten mistakes that get affidavits rejected.
What the Illinois Financial Affidavit Is and Who Must File It
The Illinois Financial Affidavit is a sworn court form that lists a party’s income, expenses, assets, debts, and supporting documents in a divorce, legal separation, parentage, child support, or maintenance case. The Illinois Supreme Court approved the standardized version under Rule 13.3.1 so that judges across all 102 counties see the same financial picture in the same format. The most recent statewide revision is dated April 2024, and you can confirm the date in the lower-left corner of every page on the Illinois Courts approved forms page.
Anyone who asks for or opposes financial relief must file it. That includes a petitioner asking for temporary maintenance under 750 ILCS 5/501(a)(1), a respondent contesting child support under 750 ILCS 5/505, a parent in a parentage case under the Illinois Parentage Act of 2015, and a spouse seeking permanent maintenance under 750 ILCS 5/504. In Cook County, parties in domestic relations cases must also file the longer Comprehensive Financial Statement described in Cook County Rule 13.3.1.
The form does three jobs at once. First, it gives the judge the numbers needed to set temporary or final support. Second, it triggers automatic discovery, because Rule 13.3.1 requires the supporting documents to be exchanged within 30 days of an appearance. Third, it locks each party to a sworn record, so if a spouse later “finds” a hidden Fidelity account, the prior affidavit becomes Exhibit A in a contempt motion.
Failing to file is not a technicality. A judge can strike pleadings, bar testimony on financial issues, award attorney’s fees under 750 ILCS 5/508, or hold the noncompliant party in civil contempt. The Illinois Legal Aid Online self-help center reports that missing affidavits are the single most common cause of continued temporary relief hearings.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Before you open the affidavit, gather every document you will reference, because the affidavit’s last page lists “Required Attachments” and the clerk will reject filings that arrive without them. The Illinois Courts standardized form instructions explain that the affidavit and its attachments must be served on the other party and tendered to the judge at the first contested hearing. Walking in unprepared is the fastest way to lose a temporary support motion.
- Last 3 pay stubs. They prove gross wages, withholding, and any 401(k) or insurance deductions; without them, judges often impute income at full-time minimum wage or the last verified figure.
- Last 2–3 years of federal and Illinois tax returns with all W-2s, 1099s, K-1s, and Schedule C. Tax returns reveal bonuses, side income, and self-employment that pay stubs hide.
- Most recent bank statements for every checking, savings, and money-market account in your name, joint, or that you control. Missing a single account triggers a Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/) sanction motion.
- Most recent retirement and brokerage statements for 401(k), IRA, pension, RSU, ESPP, and crypto accounts. Retirement assets are usually the largest marital asset and are valued on the date of filing.
- Mortgage, HELOC, and auto loan statements showing principal balance, monthly payment, and escrow. The court compares these against your stated debts to test credibility.
- Credit card statements for at least the last three months on every card. Judges use them to verify “monthly expenses” you claim on Section IV.
- Health insurance premium statement from your employer or the Get Covered Illinois marketplace. Premiums shift child support under the statutory guidelines worksheet.
- Day care invoices, tuition bills, and uninsured medical bills. These line items usually unlock add-on support beyond the basic guideline amount.
- Driver’s license and Social Security number. The signature page requires the last four digits of your SSN, not the full number.
- A current list of all debts, including personal loans from family. “Forgotten” debts cannot be allocated as marital later.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official statewide form lives on the Illinois Courts approved forms page under the Divorce, Custody, and Other Family Matters category. Always download the version dated April 2024 or later, because the older 2018 version no longer maps cleanly to the income shares child support guidelines. The form is fillable in Adobe Acrobat, and the Illinois Courts site offers a typeable PDF, a Word version, and a Spanish translation.
Cook County filers in domestic relations division must also use the Comprehensive Financial Statement posted on the Circuit Court of Cook County site. DuPage, Lake, and Will counties accept the statewide form but often add a one-page local cover sheet available on each circuit clerk’s website.
If you cannot print, the Illinois Legal Aid Online automated interview, called Easy Form, walks you through the questions and assembles a finished PDF. Public libraries across Illinois host free terminals where you can complete and print the form, and many circuit clerks have self-help kiosks. The Illinois JusticeCorps program places trained volunteers in courthouse self-help centers to help pro se filers complete the form on the spot.
The form must be filed electronically through the statewide Odyssey eFileIL portal under Supreme Court Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/), which has required e-filing in civil cases since 2018. Self-represented litigants who lack internet access can request a paper exemption from the circuit clerk under Rule 9(c).
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out the Illinois Financial Affidavit Line by Line
The statewide affidavit has a caption, six numbered sections, an attachments page, and a notarized signature block. Every box matters, and the Cook County version adds a Section VII (Statement of Net Worth) and Section VIII (monthly cash flow reconciliation). Fill it out top to bottom, type when possible, and keep your supporting documents in the same order as the affidavit’s sections.
Caption: Court, County, Case Number, and Party Names
The top of the form asks you to identify the court, the county, the case number, the petitioner, and the respondent. Plain English: it is the header that tells the clerk which file the affidavit belongs in. Type the county where the case is pending in all caps, write the case number exactly as the clerk assigned it (for example 2024 D 004217), and list the petitioner first and the respondent second, in the same order shown on the original petition.
Maria Lopez writes “COOK” in the county field, “2024 D 004217” in the case number field, “Maria Lopez” as petitioner, and “Carlos Lopez” as respondent. If the case was filed in DuPage and later transferred, you still use the current county. A common edge case is a name change after filing: use the legal name on the original petition and add an “also known as” only if the court has approved the change.
The most common mistake is mixing up petitioner and respondent, which forces the clerk to reject the e-filing as nonconforming under Rule 9. The consequence is a 24-to-72-hour delay while you refile. A widespread misconception is that the caption can be abbreviated; it cannot, because the case management system pulls case data character by character.
Section I: Personal Information
Section I asks for your full legal name, date of birth, current address, length of residence, occupation, employer, and the names and dates of birth of your children. Plain English: it is the “who you are” page. Print your name as it appears on your Social Security card, format the date as MM/DD/YYYY, and list every child whose support is at issue, including children from prior relationships if their support affects your budget.
Carlos Lopez enters his name as “Carlos A. Lopez,” date of birth as “07/14/1982,” current address as “1422 W. Belmont Ave., Apt. 3, Chicago, IL 60657,” occupation as “HVAC Technician,” and lists two children, Sofia (DOB 03/02/2016) and Mateo (DOB 11/19/2019). If you live in a domestic violence shelter or have an active order of protection, use the Address Confidentiality Program substitute address rather than your real one.
The most common mistake is omitting a child from a prior relationship, which makes the income shares calculation wrong and inflates the support owed in the current case. The consequence is an overpayment that is hard to recover. A frequent misconception is that adult children do not belong on the form; they do if they are still in high school or have an order for non-minor support under 750 ILCS 5/513.
Section II: Employment and Gross Income
Section II asks for your employer’s name and address, your pay frequency, your gross income from all sources, and a calculation of your gross monthly income. Plain English: it is the income page, and the judge starts here. Use gross, not net, write the pay frequency exactly (weekly, biweekly, semimonthly, or monthly), and convert to a true monthly figure using the conversion notes printed on the form.
Janet Kim, paid biweekly at $2,400 gross, multiplies $2,400 by 26 pay periods and divides by 12 to enter “$5,200.00” as gross monthly income. The form makes filers carry separate lines for wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, self-employment, rental income, dividends, interest, pensions, Social Security, unemployment, and “other.” If you are self-employed, attach a year-to-date profit-and-loss statement under 750 ILCS 5/505(a)(3)(A).
The most common mistake is using net pay because it “feels” more honest; the consequence is that the judge recomputes income from your tax return and may sanction you for understatement. A common misconception is that one-time bonuses do not count; under In re Marriage of Mayfield, 2013 IL 114655, recurring bonuses are income for support purposes.
Section III: Mandatory and Voluntary Deductions
Section III asks for federal and Illinois income tax, FICA, Medicare, mandatory retirement, mandatory union dues, and health, dental, and vision insurance premiums. Plain English: this is where you subtract the deductions Illinois treats as mandatory before computing “net income” under the income shares model. Pull the figures directly from your most recent pay stub and convert to monthly using the same multiplier you used in Section II.
Aisha Patel, a Cook County teacher with a biweekly stub showing $612 federal tax, $148 state tax, $186 FICA, $44 Medicare, $310 TRS pension contribution, and $190 health premium, multiplies each by 26/12 and lists each on its own line. Voluntary 401(k) contributions are not mandatory deductions in Illinois even though they are pre-tax for the IRS; only statutory or contractually required retirement contributions count.
The most common mistake is lumping voluntary 401(k) deferrals into the mandatory column. The consequence is an artificially low net income that the other side will challenge, and the judge will likely add the deferral back. A widespread misconception is that all union dues qualify; only dues that are a condition of employment qualify under In re Marriage of Rogers, 213 Ill. 2d 129 (2004).
Section IV: Living Expenses
Section IV asks for monthly housing, utilities, food, transportation, medical, child-related, debt service, and personal expenses. Plain English: it is your monthly budget. Use a 12-month average for variable items like utilities and groceries, and pull credit card and bank statements to back up each line.
Marcus Reed enters rent at $1,850, electricity at $112 (12-month average), natural gas at $74, internet at $65, groceries at $725, gasoline at $230, auto insurance at $148, day care at $1,420, and uninsured medical at $90. The form expects round monthly numbers, not annual totals divided by 12 in your head; show the math in a footnote if a category swings widely.
The most common mistake is padding expenses to match income; judges quickly spot a $9,000 monthly budget on a $5,000 monthly income, and the credibility hit poisons the rest of your case. The consequence is reduced maintenance or increased support against you. A common misconception is that “expenses” means what you wish you spent; it means what you actually spend, supported by statements.
Section V: Assets
Section V asks for real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance cash value, business interests, and personal property over $500. Plain English: it is everything you own. Identify each asset, mark it as marital (M), non-marital (N), or disputed (D), give the current fair market value, and note any debt against it.
Janet Kim lists the marital home at “1422 W. Belmont, Chicago” with FMV $485,000 and mortgage $312,000, a 2021 Honda Pilot at $24,500 with a $9,800 loan, a Chase joint checking at $4,210, her Fidelity 401(k) at $128,400, and an inherited Schwab brokerage of $46,200 marked “N” because it was a 2014 inheritance from her mother kept in her sole name. Crypto and RSUs go here too; list the wallet or grant and the value as of the filing date.
The most common mistake is forgetting an old 401(k) from a former employer. The consequence is a Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/) sanction and possible dissipation finding under 750 ILCS 5/503(d)(2). The dominant misconception is that an inheritance kept in joint title is still non-marital; it is not, because commingling can transmute it under In re Marriage of Schmitt, 391 Ill. App. 3d 1010.
Section VI: Liabilities
Section VI asks for every debt: mortgages, auto loans, student loans, credit cards, personal loans, tax debt, and medical debt. Plain English: it is everything you owe. List the creditor, account number’s last four digits, current balance, monthly payment, and whether the debt is in your name, your spouse’s, or joint.
Carlos Lopez lists Wells Fargo mortgage (balance $312,000, payment $2,180, joint), Toyota Financial auto loan (balance $9,800, payment $312, sole), Discover card ending 4421 (balance $6,540, payment $145, sole), and a $4,000 personal loan from his brother documented by a 2022 promissory note. Family loans count only if they are documented; otherwise the judge will treat them as gifts.
The most common mistake is omitting tax debt because “the IRS hasn’t sent a final bill yet.” The consequence is that the omitted debt cannot be allocated and lands entirely on you after judgment. A frequent misconception is that a debt in only one spouse’s name is automatically non-marital; under 750 ILCS 5/503, debts incurred during the marriage are presumptively marital regardless of title.
Required Attachments Page
The attachments page lists pay stubs, tax returns, and account statements that must be served with the affidavit. Plain English: it is the receipt that proves you handed over your supporting documents. Check each box, list the date served, and keep a stamped copy.
Aisha Patel checks “last 3 pay stubs,” “2022 and 2023 federal tax returns,” “most recent retirement statement,” and “most recent bank statement,” and writes “Served via Odyssey eFileIL on 05/14/2026.” Many filers skip this page because it looks like a cover sheet; that is a trap.
The most common mistake is leaving the date-served field blank, which the Cook County Domestic Relations Division treats as a failure to comply with Rule 13.3.1. The consequence is a stricken affidavit. A common misconception is that you can hold attachments back until the first court date; you cannot, because Rule 13.3.1 sets a 30-day deadline from appearance.
Signature, Notarization, and Section 1-109 Certification
The signature block must be signed under penalty of perjury under 735 ILCS 5/1-109. Plain English: by signing, you swear every number is true. The Illinois statewide form does not require a notary, because Section 1-109 certification has the same legal effect.
Marcus Reed signs his name, prints “Marcus T. Reed,” writes the date “05/19/2026,” and types the certification line: “Under penalties as provided by law pursuant to Section 1-109 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the undersigned certifies that the statements set forth in this instrument are true and correct.” If you file in a county that still requires notarization (some downstate clerks do), use a notary; it never hurts.
The most common mistake is signing before the form is fully filled in, then editing numbers after. The consequence is that you have sworn to a draft, exposing yourself to perjury. A common misconception is that Section 1-109 is weaker than a notary; it carries the same Class 3 felony exposure under 720 ILCS 5/32-2.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Below are three named filers walked through the affidavit so you can see how the lines connect. Each table is two columns and pulls from the same statewide form so you can map your own numbers onto the layout.
Scenario 1: Maria Lopez, W-2 Employee, Short Marriage, No Kids, Renting
Maria is 34, a marketing coordinator earning $72,000 per year, married three years, no children, and rents a one-bedroom in Logan Square.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | COOK / 2026 D 002188 / Petitioner: Maria Lopez / Respondent: Daniel Lopez |
| Section I — Personal | Maria E. Lopez, DOB 02/11/1992, 2740 N. Kedzie Blvd., Chicago 60647, marketing coordinator at Relativity |
| Section II — Gross Income | $6,000 monthly wages, $0 overtime, $4,000 annual bonus → $333.33 monthly, total $6,333.33 |
| Section III — Mandatory Deductions | Federal $812, Illinois $313, FICA $393, Medicare $92, health premium $145 |
| Section IV — Expenses | Rent $1,750, utilities $180, groceries $480, transit $120, student loan $325, total $3,985 |
| Section V — Assets | Chase checking $3,200, Roth IRA $18,400, 2019 Mazda3 $11,000, no real estate |
| Section VI — Liabilities | Navient student loans $34,200, Citi card ending 7711 $1,940 |
| Attachments | 3 pay stubs, 2024 and 2025 tax returns, Chase and Fidelity statements |
Scenario 2: Carlos Rivera, Self-Employed Contractor, Long Marriage, House and Two Kids
Carlos is 47, owns a roofing LLC, married 18 years, two children ages 9 and 6, and lives in a Naperville home.
| Form Section | What Carlos Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | DUPAGE / 2026 D 000914 / Petitioner: Elena Rivera / Respondent: Carlos Rivera |
| Section I — Personal | Carlos A. Rivera, DOB 09/22/1978, 312 Sunset Ridge, Naperville 60540, owner Rivera Roofing LLC, kids Lucia (2016) and Diego (2019) |
| Section II — Gross Income | Schedule C net $11,250/mo, K-1 distributions $1,800/mo, rental income $950/mo, total $14,000 |
| Section III — Mandatory Deductions | Self-employment tax $1,750, federal estimated $1,920, Illinois estimated $560, health premium $640 |
| Section IV — Expenses | Mortgage $3,210, utilities $410, groceries $1,250, day care $1,820, auto $480, total $7,170 |
| Section V — Assets | Marital home FMV $612,000 (mortgage $304,000), Rivera Roofing LLC valued $185,000, SEP-IRA $241,500, F-150 $32,000 |
| Section VI — Liabilities | Chase mortgage $304,000, business line of credit $48,000, Amex $9,800 |
| Attachments | 3 most recent business deposits, 2023–2025 tax returns, profit-and-loss YTD, all bank and retirement statements |
Scenario 3: Janet Kim, Stay-at-Home Parent Seeking Maintenance
Janet is 51, has been out of the workforce for 12 years raising three children, and is asking for temporary maintenance under 750 ILCS 5/501.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Caption | LAKE / 2026 D 001402 / Petitioner: Janet Kim / Respondent: David Kim |
| Section I — Personal | Janet H. Kim, DOB 06/30/1974, 88 Oak Knoll, Lake Forest 60045, occupation “homemaker,” three children ages 16, 13, 10 |
| Section II — Gross Income | Wages $0, dividends $145/mo from joint Schwab account, total $145 |
| Section III — Mandatory Deductions | None |
| Section IV — Expenses | Mortgage $3,950, utilities $520, groceries $1,650, kids’ activities $980, medical $310, total $7,410 |
| Section V — Assets | Marital home $1,140,000 (mortgage $410,000), joint Schwab $86,000, David’s 401(k) (disclosed best-known) $612,000 |
| Section VI — Liabilities | Wells Fargo mortgage $410,000, joint Visa $4,250 |
| Attachments | Last 3 Schwab statements, 2023–2025 joint tax returns, mortgage statement, list of children’s activity costs |
How to File the Completed Form
Illinois requires e-filing in civil cases under Supreme Court Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/), so the primary channel is the Odyssey eFileIL portal. Create a free account, choose your county, select the case, upload the affidavit as a single PDF named Financial Affidavit – [Your Last Name], attach the supporting documents under the “Lead Document” plus “Supporting Document” structure, and pay the statewide e-filing convenience fee of approximately $3.25 plus credit card processing. There is no separate filing fee for the affidavit itself; it rides on the underlying case.
Mail filing is allowed only with an approved Rule 9(c) exemption. If approved, send the original and one copy to the circuit clerk’s address listed on the Illinois Courts clerk directory, include a self-addressed stamped envelope, and expect 7 to 14 days for file-stamping. In-person filing is also exemption-only; bring two copies, hand them to the intake clerk, and ask for a stamped copy back as your proof of filing.
Fax filing is no longer accepted in Illinois civil family cases as of 2018 amendments to Rule 9. Service on the other party is separate from filing; you must serve the affidavit on opposing counsel or the self-represented spouse using the eService function inside Odyssey or by email under Supreme Court Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/).
Always download the file-stamped PDF after acceptance and save it for your records. The stamped copy is your proof of timely filing if a clerk later loses the document or if a judge questions whether the 30-day Rule 13.3.1 window was met.
What Happens After You File
Once accepted, the affidavit is uploaded to the case docket and visible to the judge, opposing counsel, and any guardian ad litem. The other side has 30 days under Rule 13.3.1 to file its own affidavit, and either party can serve a notice to produce missing attachments. Judges in Cook County’s Domestic Relations Division routinely call status hearings to confirm both affidavits are on file before any temporary support hearing.
Expect the other side to scrutinize every line. Common follow-ups include subpoenas to your employer, depositions on self-employment income, and discovery requests for prior bank statements. The Illinois income shares calculator is then run against the net income figures both parties report.
If the judge finds material errors, the court can order an amended affidavit, shift attorney’s fees under 750 ILCS 5/508(b), or refer the matter to the State’s Attorney for perjury. Most cases instead end with a negotiated correction, but the leverage shifts permanently against the party that misstated numbers.
You also have a continuing duty to update. If your income, assets, or debts change materially before final judgment, file a supplemental affidavit. Hiding a new bonus or a sold asset is a textbook dissipation claim under 750 ILCS 5/503(d)(2).
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
The Illinois affidavit is rejected or impeached more often for the same handful of errors. Each one below has a one-line description and a one-line consequence so you can pre-check your draft.
- Using net pay instead of gross in Section II — judge recomputes income and credibility takes a hit.
- Listing voluntary 401(k) as a mandatory deduction — the deduction is added back and net income rises.
- Forgetting an old employer’s retirement plan in Section V — sanctions under Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/) and dissipation claims.
- Padding monthly expenses beyond what credit card statements show — maintenance request gets cut.
- Omitting children from a prior relationship in Section I — child support is miscalculated and may be revisited.
- Skipping the date-served field on the attachments page — affidavit is stricken under Rule 13.3.1.
- Signing before the form is finalized — exposure to perjury under 735 ILCS 5/1-109.
- Mislabeling marital property as non-marital in Section V — dissipation finding and unequal property award.
- Failing to convert biweekly pay to true monthly using 26/12 — income is understated and the court adjusts.
- Filing the older 2018 form — clerk rejects, costing you the temporary support hearing date.
- Leaving health insurance premiums off Section III — child support guidelines miscalculate the credit.
- Forgetting tax debt in Section VI — debt is allocated entirely to you in the judgment.
Do’s and Don’ts
A short rule of thumb makes the form easier to draft and safer to sign. Each do and don’t includes the reasoning so you can apply it to fact patterns the form does not anticipate.
- Do download the April 2024 version every time, because revisions sometimes change line numbers.
- Do type the form in Adobe rather than handwriting, because typed numbers reduce clerk rejections.
- Do match every Section IV expense to a bank or card statement, because judges spot-check.
- Do disclose disputed assets as “D” rather than omit them, because disclosure beats discovery.
- Do save your stamped PDF immediately after eFileIL acceptance, because dockets can drop attachments.
- Do update the affidavit if income changes by 10% or more, because Rule 13.3.1 imposes a continuing duty.
- Don’t round expenses to the nearest hundred, because judges read sloppy numbers as fabricated.
- Don’t sign the form blank, because a blank signature is still a sworn document.
- Don’t omit family loans you actually owe, because they cannot be re-introduced later.
- Don’t assume your lawyer reviewed every line; you sign under perjury, not the lawyer.
- Don’t copy last year’s affidavit without re-pulling current statements, because stale data is impeached.
- Don’t file without serving, because filing alone does not satisfy Supreme Court Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/).
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Many filers want to know whether to attempt the affidavit pro se or hire counsel. The choice often hinges on the complexity of the assets, the level of conflict, and your comfort reading statutes.
- Pro (pro se): Saves $1,500–$3,500 in attorney drafting fees in a simple W-2 case.
- Pro (pro se): Illinois Legal Aid Online’s Easy Form walks you line by line at no cost.
- Pro (pro se): Forces you to learn your own finances, which helps in settlement.
- Pro (pro se): Self-help centers like JusticeCorps provide live help.
- Pro (pro se): Avoids the delay of waiting for an attorney to schedule a drafting session.
- Con (pro se): Self-employment income, RSUs, and crypto are easy to mis-classify.
- Con (pro se): A single Section V omission can fund a Rule (https://www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/supreme-court-rules/article-i/) sanction motion against you.
- Con (pro se): Pro se filers underclaim mandatory deductions and overpay support.
- Con (pro se): Notarization and certification rules trip up filers in downstate counties.
- Con (pro se): You bear sole perjury exposure under 735 ILCS 5/1-109.
Statewide Form vs. Cook County Comprehensive Financial Statement
| Feature | Statewide vs. Cook County |
|---|---|
| Authority | Illinois Supreme Court Rule 13.3.1 vs. Cook County Local Rule 13.3.1 |
| Length | 12 pages vs. 19 pages with net worth and cash flow add-ons |
| Required in | All 102 counties vs. Cook County Domestic Relations only |
| Signature | Section 1-109 certification vs. Section 1-109 plus optional notary |
| Attachments | Pay stubs, 2 years tax returns, account statements vs. add 3 years tax returns and 12 months of bank statements |
| Filing portal | eFileIL for both |
FAQs
Do I file the affidavit before or after the petition for dissolution?
No — you file it after the petition or response, and Rule 13.3.1 gives you 30 days from your appearance to serve it on the other party.
Do I list my spouse’s income on my affidavit?
No — your affidavit covers only your income, expenses, assets, and debts; your spouse files a separate affidavit.
Do I need a notary to sign the Illinois statewide affidavit?
No — the Section 1-109 certification has the same legal weight as a notarized signature in Illinois civil cases.
Do I write my maiden name or married name in Section I?
Yes — use the legal name on your driver’s license or Social Security card, and add an “also known as” line for prior names.
Do I include my new partner’s income if we live together?
No — only your income goes on the form, although a cohabitant’s contribution to rent can be noted in Section IV.
Do I have to list a 401(k) loan as a debt in Section VI?
Yes — list the unpaid balance, monthly payroll deduction, and creditor as “401(k) plan loan.”
Do I attach my spouse’s pay stubs to my affidavit?
No — attach only your own documents; you obtain your spouse’s through discovery or their own affidavit.
Do I list crypto holdings in Section V?
Yes — list the wallet, the coin, and the U.S. dollar value as of the filing date, supported by a screenshot.
Do I have to update the affidavit if I get a raise?
Yes — file a supplemental affidavit when income changes materially, generally 10% or more, before final judgment.
Do I need to file a financial affidavit for an uncontested divorce?
Yes — Rule 13.3.1 still requires it, although both parties may waive supporting attachments by written agreement under the rule.
Do I write gross or net income in Section II?
Yes — write gross; the form converts to net inside Section III using the listed deductions.
Do I list inherited property in Section V if it is in my name only?
Yes — list it and mark it “N” for non-marital, with documentation showing the inheritance source and that it was never commingled.
Do I sign the affidavit under penalty of perjury in Illinois?
Yes — Section 1-109 of the Code of Civil Procedure makes false statements punishable as a Class 3 felony.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out Illinois Affidavit for Service by Publication + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois Affidavit of Heirship (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (With Children) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois Small Estate Affidavit (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Ohio Affidavit of Income, Expenses and Financial Disclosure + FAQs
- How to Fill Out New Jersey Affidavit of Surviving Spouse / Partner + FAQs
- How to Fill Out Illinois Form IL-1120-ST (w/Examples) + FAQs