How do I financially prepare for divorce?

It’s a good idea to organize your current financial picture — and imagine what your post-divorce financial life may look like — prior to filing for divorce. Consider the following questions:

  1. Which assets are jointly owned, which are in my name, and which are in my spouse’s name?
  2. Do I have an accurate appraisal of the value of each of our major assets?
  3. What debt do I have? What shared debt do we have?
  4. How is my current lifestyle funded?
  5. What might my monthly income and expenses look like after divorce?
  6. How much might I be able to expect in child support and/or alimony?
  7. How much will the divorce attorney cost?