According to US News and World Report, as many as 800,000 Americans are divorced each year. Divorces can be emotionally trying, psychologically challenging, and incredibly complicated. While most people struggle with the emotions of a separation from their former-spouse, it is important to have an eye on the logistical side of the separation. Understanding the financial implications of a divorce can make all the difference in ensuring a financially stable future for yourself post-divorce.

From retirement plans to the nuance of taxes, understanding how your financial situation will be altered after your divorce can be a tall order. If you are moving into a new chapter in your life and preparing for divorce, hiring an experienced divorce attorney can help ensure a healthy and sustainable financial future for you and your family. Consider the following fundamental tips that can help you help yourself during your divorce.

Preparing for a Hostile Separation

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 827,261 American couples divorced throughout 2016. During a divorce, former spouses are forced to focus on the logistical side of their separation. From resource allocation, to issues of child custody, divorces can be complicated and aggravating. In the midst of the divorce, many Americans forget to focus on their own personal self care.

While a divorce can be trying for the whole family, neglecting to take care of one’s self can be a detrimental mistake. Finding a compassionate and experienced legal team can help you turn your focus from the legal side of the divorce to the emotional side of a separation from a spouse.

Getting the Self-Care You Need

Throughout the divorce process, some couples allows their emotions get the best of them. From making rash financial decisions to refusing to make compromises that benefit the whole family, going through a divorce is never emotionally straightforward. If you and your spouse are considering a permanent separation, the most important step you can take for you, your resources, and your family, is hiring a knowledgeable divorce attorney.

Hiring a divorce can save you countless time, money, and emotional strife as you and your family go through the process of divorce. A competent team of legal representatives can help you answer questions of child custody, asset allocation, and complex tax issues. Consider the following mistakes a team of divorce attorneys can help you avoid.

Allowing Emotions to Boil

Going through the process of divorce can be an incredibly difficult time for families. Parents may face the prospects of a new life away from their partner, while children struggle with the separation of their parents. In many cases, divorce can be especially painful for children. For both young and adolescent children, divorce represents a massive change in life. Children are forced to accept the separation of their parents, an alteration of their standard living situation, and the potential for new spousal figures in the future.

Long-term mental health ramifications for children going through a divorce can include depression, paranoia, and anxiety. In severe cases, these symptoms can manifest into substance abuse, eating disorders, and even self-harm, later in life. For these reasons, and many more, it is crucial that parents understand how to help their children come to terms with the divorce. Consider the following tactics geared to help you help your children through the divorce process.

How You Can Help

Despite widely held misconceptions that fathers cannot be awarded custody during a divorce settlement, fathers do end up with custody of their children in many cases. While the vast majority of courts will lean towards joint custody as the optimal parenting strategy after a divorce, it is unlawful for courts to show bias against fathers looking to gain sole or substantial joint custody.

Inherent biases, however, can still find their way into courtrooms, and fathers still seem to struggle to gain custody at the same rate as mothers. According to the United States Department of Commerce, roughly 17 percent (or one in every six) of custodial parents are fathers.

If you are in the midst of a divorce settlement, it is important to know how to prepare yourself for the courtroom. Preparation is especially critical for fathers fighting for substantial custodial privileges. With that in mind, listed below are simple tactics that can help you prepare you for a custodial court hearing.