If you were to ask, "Is it possible to have a smooth divorce?" I would say that yes, it is. But some divorces are not smooth. And not just un-smooth, but pretty damn awful. Of the divorces which fall into the awful category I expect there are many levels of awfulness, ranging from just slightly awful to horror movie awful. My recent second divorce was one of those. It was the polar opposite of smooth and I would rate it as horror movie awful. And as I discovered, the alternative of a smooth divorce can grind you into the ground.

My recent divorce took two years to complete. Twenty-four long months of money worries, money payments, and money wasted. Twenty-four months of strategy discussions, legal options, and thousands of emails. It's too easy to be confused or overwhelmed. Sometimes making the right decision, sometimes making the wrong one, and sheer hell all the way. It was a long, tedious and painful process. A process which I was unprepared for.

This book helps you prepare for your own divorce. It brings order from chaos and presents divorce in a logical understandable way. I guide you through the divorce process with clear explanations, next steps, tips for working with your attorney, and what you should know. All aspects of divorce are discussed — legal, emotional, and financial. Checklists, questions, and a negotiation grid are provided to assist your own journey to divorce. A case study my own nightmare divorce is examined as a cautionary example of what to do, what to avoid, and most importantly, how to survive it.