No aspect of divorce is easy. The realization that your relationship is no longer functioning can be difficult to digest. If you have children, then you will worry how their future is going to pan out with parents in separate households.

All of these apprehensions can make it challenging to tell your children about the divorce, but they need to know and there is no way to hide it from them. Thankfully, with the right approach, you and your spouse can soften the blow.

Explain that you are still both there for them

Confusion is likely to arise after you explain that one parent is moving out of the family home. Your child might feel that they have to choose one parent over the other, but you and your spouse can still be on the same page after divorce. Just because you are not united in terms of a relationship doesn't mean you can't be united in terms of parenthood. If your child knows that you are still prepared to tackle obstacles together, this will be a great source of comfort.

At NextLevel Law we believe in justice in and out of the office. Please join us in congratulating our Founder and Principal Attorney, Daniel R. Hernandez, on his appointment as Commissioner on the Chicago Commission on Human Relations.

When a marriage ends in a separation or divorce, one of the decisions the court will have to make is who gets primary custody of the child and who gets visitation rights. This is known as a child custody decree, and both parties are required by law to abide by its terms.

However, it is important to note that child custody may require changing. One of the reasons the court may be open to modifying an existing custody order is abuse by the other parent. But, how do you prove it?

Here are three signs that can help you prove abuse during your child custody modification case.

Half of all marriages ending in divorce is a statistic that has been around so long that people automatically consider it gospel. However, reality tells a different story.

In reality, marriage being a half-and-half proposition potentially ending in divorce would discourage the most eager bride or groom-to-be. The percent of marriages that end goes beyond what is considered a flawed statistic. In reality, the long-held percentage is meaningless.

Crunching the divorce numbers

The 2019 American Community Survey provides the most recent data, putting divorce rates at nearly 15 per 1,000 marriages. That represents the lowest number going back more than 50 years. Drilling down to year-by-year numbers presents significant complications.

Recognizing that your marriage is coming to an end can be difficult to come to terms with. Once you have done everything in your power to make it work, divorce may be the only viable option.

The divorce process is never easy, but there are ways to ease the strain. Taking preparatory steps can help negotiations over property division, child custody and spousal support run much more smoothly. Outlined below are some simple measures that could ease the stress of your divorce.

Get on top of your finances

Even a more amicable divorce could result in your finances taking a hit. However, being prepared for this could help to limit any negative consequences. Allocating some time to examine how much savings you have, what your debt situation looks like as well as checking your credit score will all be worthwhile. You will be required to present an overview of your financial situation to the court, and having everything to hand will make this much easier.