Traditionally, when a couple separates or divorces, one or both spouses will leave the marital home and settle down somewhere new. With California real estate and rent prices among the highest in the nation, maintaining two separate residences is simply not a reality for many divorcing families. Tangled assets and child care responsibilities are some other reasons a married couple may find it difficult to live apart during their separation and pending divorce. While the situation may not be ideal, there are ways to cope with shared living arrangements during a separation and still keep the drama to a minimum.

Most of us do not enter into a marriage preparing for the possibility that it will not work out. Although we have all heard roughly half of marriages end in divorce, no one ever thinks their marriage will be one of them. For this reason, nine out of ten couples do not sign a premarital agreement before they get married.

When a couple is considering divorce, weighing the impact this decision will have on their children is at the front of their minds. Divorce is never easy on any family, but children are often better off with divorced parents than living with married parents who hate each other. Once the question of divorce is decided, parents immediately wonder what to say to their kids. No matter how you decide to break the news, reassuring your children they are loved and will always be cared for is most important.

The legalization of same-sex marriage in states like California as of 2008 naturally means that some same-sex couples will also need the assistance of divorce attorneys who understand how divorce law works and applies to same-sex couples, which, perhaps surprisingly, can sometimes be challenging.

The financial aspects of divorce can, under some circumstances, be just as stressful and confusing as the emotional aspects. As most people know, the decisions you make before, during, and, in the event of divorce, after your marriage can have financial repercussions on you for the rest of your life.