Going through a divorce is a complicated process. It becomes even more difficult if the end of your marriage came as a surprise. Even though it is shocking, you should make sure that you take a few minutes to stop and think about what is going on.

No matter how complex your divorce, you still have ways that you can protect your interests. Think carefully about these points if you are facing a divorce.

Stay informed

Even if you’ve never been part of the finances of the marriage, you need to find out all you can about the money. Find out where the financial accounts are housed, as well as where any assets are located. You should also learn all you can about what debts might part of the divorce settlement. All of this can help during the property division process. If you can’t find out any information, you can always seek help from a forensic accountant.

Keep your peace

You should remember that your marriage is ending, but you don’t have to let that fact rule your life. Instead, find your peace and don’t let your ex get to you while you are going through the process. There are some instances in which an ex will try to enrage you so that you get frustrated and act out of character. This will certainly work against you so try to avoid letting your ex anger you at all. Once the divorce is over, you will be done with him.

Decide what is truly important

As you go through the property division process, you need to decide what is truly important. Think carefully about what this means to you. For example, is it more important for you to have the marital home than one of the investment accounts? Determining this before you ever step foot into a divorce proceeding can help you to keep a clear head when you are going through the process.

Stick to your guns when necessary

There might be times when your ex-husband tries to make you just go along with what he wants. You have to pick your battles carefully when you are going through the divorce process. Make a list that you can check if you think that you might lose focus while you are trying to work out the terms of your divorce.

Focus on the future

Keep your focus on the future and not on your ex. It is easy to fall into the habit of trying to make life difficult for your ex-husband, but this can backfire. Instead, focus on making your future the brightest it can be.