When you get married, you intend the marriage to last forever. However, this isn't always the case these days and for a great many reasons. Perhaps the love is lost, perhaps jobs have taken over your lives, or even money has become a big factor.

Regardless of the reason, when you are facing a divorce from your spouse, it's imperative you have a divorce strategy.

No matter if you are the one who intends to seek a divorce or it is your spouse, there are a lot of emotions, trials, and elements that must be dealt with.

Having a strategy helps you get the divorce in motion, even if the subject has not even been brought up yet.

Divorce Strategy #1 – Lawyer

It is always a good idea to determine whether you really need to hire a lawyer. The only people who really need to consider a lawyer are those couples who have a high income with lots of property and other assets to divide. Otherwise, a lawyer isn't always necessary, even if things aren't working out between the two of you as planned.

What you want to do is meet with various lawyers, get recommendations. Some lawyers offer free consultation, while most want to be paid for this time.

Divorce Strategy #2 – Financial Outlook

Whether you believe it or not, the financial outlook is critical in your divorce. Even if you were the major income provider, you will still want to know the financial situation of your spouse, if you do not already.

You can find this information on a tax return, a pay check stub, and even by asking your spouse, if you have not already discussed the potential divorce.

Why should you know this? This can be helpful when it comes to child support, alimony, and even splitting the costs of the divorce with your spouse.

Divorce Strategy #3 – Assets

Knowing exactly what assets you and your spouse have together and separately is extremely important. If there are elements that you do not know about, you cannot hope to get a share of these in the divorce. Some assets to determine and find out the value of include your home, vehicles, pension, savings accounts, businesses, vacation homes, or any property that was obtained during your marriage.

Divorce Strategy #4 – Debts

Knowing the financial and asset elements of your family is just as important as understanding the debt that your family holds as well. Get a run down of your regular debts such as loans – car, bank, and personal, credit card debt, medical, and other bills. A good way to get this is to actually look at the bills themselves, even photocopy tem for your own evidence.

Divorce Strategy #5 – Record Keeping

You never know what will happen in a divorce, it could be nice and easy, or get messy. It is a good idea to have your own copies of different financial records for your family and household.

Even if you cannot take the statements themselves, you can always make copies. Some records you might want to have is life insurance policies, tax returns, bank statements, and even canceled checks.

Divorce Strategy #6 – Valuables

It is a good idea to know what valuables you currently have. For instance, if you have anything within a safety deposit box, make sure you make a list and take photographs of what is in there.

You should also add to that list any valuable – worth $300 or more, paintings, furniture, or jewelry.

You will also want to add things such as stocks, bonds, life insurance policies, health insurance policies, Christmas clubs, savings accounts, and checking accounts.

Divorce Strategy #7 – Save Money

It is never easy going out on your own or even staying in your home alone after or during a divorce. Regardless of who moves out, you want to ensure that you have the ability to continue with your life afterwards and be able to afford it.

Saving what money you can now, before you start the divorce, is the best defense you have.

Marriages are hard enough, divorces are even harder. If you are facing or proposing a divorce, it is a good idea to have a divorce strategy planned out before you begin.

For more effective, little known divorce strategies, we suggest you take a serious look at Matt O'Connell's best selling guide, "No BS Divorce Strategies for Men."

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Article written by:

Matt O'Connell