How to Survive a Divorce, Financially

 

n the whole, people take great comfort in permanence and regularity. No one gets married expecting to get divorced anymore than they go to Egypt expecting to see the pyramids crumble into sand. Nevertheless, the pyramids are eroding, and divorce rates have been increasing steadily.

Unfortunately, divorce rates are expected to climb, and they don't have the help of a pyramid restoration project to control the damage. When a divorce happens, it has a shattering effect on all areas of a person's life, including his or her financial life.
One of the most difficult things about a divorce is deciding who gets what. Spouses both have a financial and emotional investment in everything from the house to the stamp collection they kept together. People in the process of divorce usually do not feel overly charitable toward their soon-to-be ex-spouse, so their main concern is that they get what they feel they deserve from the settlement. This is why couples often focus on who gets assets and how future income will be divided while overlooking debts and loans.

It's better to sort these things out quickly and cleanly to avoid having the lawyers step in and drag out the process considerably which can be financially and emotionally draining.