There are many decisions to be made when considering divorce, including the following:
● Changing the economic relationship. Who will get the house, car, furniture; what share of the money, investments, retirement benefits?
● Making the practical changes necessary to accomplish the above, such as changing wills, property titles, credit cards, addresses, and the like.
● How will each spouse support him-/herself? Will both work? Will spousal support be paid by one spouse to the other? If so, for how long?
● What about health insurance, designation of children for income tax purposes, definition of beneficiaries on life insurance policies?
● If children under 18 years are present, what type of child custody is best? How will visitation rights be arranged? How will the children be supported economically? Where to set the boundaries that clearly define the former partner as a coparent? (Madden-Derdich et al. 1999, 588.)
● What will be the relationship of each spouse to friends and extended family? How will new friends be made? How will dating be handled? What will be the relationship to the former spouse after the divorce? When one or the other remarries?
● How will sex lives be handled after divorce? Does one avoid sexual relationships? Seek them out? Can or should one have sex with the ex? How is one’s new sex life handled with regard to children?
