Affidavits are important legal documents. They act as proof that a matter is what the affiant (the person who writes or signs the affidavit) says the matter is. If the affiant makes an untruthful statement in his affidavit, he can be held in contempt of court and found guilty of perjury.
Affidavits of income are a special form of affidavit used primarily in family law cases and cases where a prisoner is proceeding on her own behalf in forma pauperis. Wording the document is a matter of using clear and concise language.
Write the document in plain language. If you can use two short words to say something that might otherwise take ten, then use the two words. Be clear and concise in your language and word choices. Write in short sentences.
Include a header and an introduction that states your name and declares that what follows is true. In the header, include the case name, the court number, and the court in which the case is being held. For the introduction, state your name and swear that what follows is true. For example, the start of this affidavit could be: "I [INSERT YOUR NAME] hereby swear that the following facts are true:" Do not write anything after the colon, continue to step three.
Read More: Types of Affidavits
Number each separate statement after the introduction. Each statement should contain one fact about your personal income. For example, after the introduction, the affidavit could continue as follows: (1) My annual gross income per year is [INSERT FIGURE]. (2) My personal savings account contains the following amount [INSERT FIGURE]. (3) I receive other income from the following sources: [INSERT SOURCES].
Continue with a new line after each fact. Write each fact clearly and concisely in a way that the reader can easily understand.
Follow a template for help and examples. Most court clerks can provide you with a form to fill out or an example of an affidavit of income to follow. If you cannot write the document on your own, use a template. The language is generally provided for you; you simply must insert the amount of income.
References
- Affidavit of Income Instructions
- Affidavit of Income Form
- Plain Language for Lawyers, Richard Wydick, 2005
Writer Bio
Based in Traverse City, Mich., George Lawrence has been writing professionally since 2009. His work primarily appears on various websites. An avid outdoorsman, Lawrence holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in both criminal justice and English from Michigan State University, as well as a Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where he graduated with honors.