If you think that your marriage may be heading for divorce, there are some things that you could do to prepare yourself for the legal and financial divorce. Remember, however, that there are other kinds of divorce that may be more difficult than that of dissolving an economic partnership – the religious divorce, the physical divorce, and the emotional divorce (dealt with elsewhere).

Start getting financial records together:

Research your state’s divorce laws to find out what the guidelines are for division of marital property and marital debt, guidelines for child support, guidelines for spousal maintenance, options and requirements for divorce filing in your state.

Research divorce mediation services in your state if you want to stay in control of the decision making process, and if you want co-operative resolutions that enable you and your spouse to retain your individual parenting roles.

Many bankruptcy attorneys suggest that applying for bankruptcy before the divorce can be more advantageous than doing it after the divorce.