People tend to underestimate this form. It is not a quick worksheet. The AFI asks for:

• Your gross and net income from all sources
• A detailed monthly expense breakdown (housing, utilities, food, transportation, insurance, childcare, personal expenses)
• Every asset you own (real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, investments, retirement accounts, personal property)
• Every debt you owe (mortgages, car loans, credit cards, student loans, medical debt)

You need documentation to back all of it up: pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, mortgage statements, credit card statements. Gathering everything can take days if you are not prepared.

What to do about it: Start collecting financial documents before you file. Pull your last two years of tax returns, your three most recent pay stubs, and current statements for every bank account, credit card, and loan. Having this ready before you begin the AFI makes the process dramatically easier. Our complete AFI guide walks through every section of the form.

3. You Probably Do Not Need to Spend Thousands on This

The biggest misconception about divorce is that it has to be expensive. When most people think "divorce," they picture attorneys, courtrooms, and five-figure legal bills. For contested cases with real disagreements, that can be the reality. But the majority of Arizona divorces are uncontested, meaning both spouses agree on terms.

If that is your situation, here is what the numbers actually look like:

The difference between the cheapest and most expensive option is tens of thousands of dollars. For an uncontested divorce where you already agree on property, debts, and (if applicable) custody, paying attorney rates of $350 to $550 per hour to fill out forms does not make financial sense for most people.

What to do about it: Have an honest conversation with your spouse before you involve any professionals. If you can agree on the major terms (who gets what, how debts are split, what the parenting schedule looks like), you are a candidate for the uncontested path. That saves you thousands. For a full breakdown of every cost, see our 2026 divorce cost guide.

The Common Thread: Preparation

All three of these lessons come back to the same idea. The people who have the smoothest, most affordable divorces are the ones who prepare before they file. They understand the timeline, they gather their financial documents early, and they choose the right level of help for their situation.

Filing for divorce is stressful enough without surprises. Knowing what to expect gives you back some control during a time when everything feels uncertain.

How Clarity Divorce Helps

Clarity Divorce was built for people who want to handle their Arizona divorce without the cost of attorneys but also without the risk of doing all the paperwork alone. You answer a guided questionnaire about your situation, and the platform generates all nine essential divorce documents, including the AFI. The cost is a flat $299, plus your county's filing fee.

Your forms are ready in minutes, formatted for your county, and prepared to file. No hourly billing, no retainer, no surprises.

Educational guidance only. This is not legal advice.