Financial Answer Center

A high percentage of marriages in the United States end in divorce. If you and your spouse decide to part ways, you will probably begin with a separation, a legally defined move which in many states is a necessary precursor to a no-fault divorce.

You will need to come to an agreement about how to divide the property. This can become contentious, and it may be necessary to involve lawyers and possibly a mediator or arbitrator. You may also consider a "collaborative divorce," a new and highly effective divorce method that uses a model where each party uses an attorney who has gone through specialized "collaborative law" training. With a collaborative divorce, all parties agree to work together in good faith to determine solutions that best meet the needs of the two parties. This process is done without going to court. Take some time to select the right divorce attorney; you may want to interview several before deciding.

You will also have to agree on how to provide for your children, deciding on who will be the custodial parent (or if there will be joint legal or joint physical custody), what child support will be paid to whom, and how visitation rights will be handled.

If you decide to remarry, you and your new spouse will have to work out a number of legal and procedural details, especially if either of you has children from a previous marriage.