According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average woman's family income drops by 37% after divorce. Do you know what assets or how much alimony or child support you are entitled to receive? Have you spoken to an attorney and gotten sticker-shock? This book was written to help the low- and moderate-income women the legal system has abandoned by walking a hypothetical self-represented woman step-by-step through the divorce process, including:

-- How to prepare financially to stand on your own two feet;

-- What the court can, and cannot do for you;

-- 'Legwork' that can save you money on legal fees and help you get a better outcome;

-- How much child support and alimony you might be entitled to receive;

-- Custody disputes … 'fatal flaws' and how you can fix them.

-- How to show a judge that your spouse is lying about their assets and income;

-- What property you are entitled to receive … and should ask for;

-- Ways vindictive ex-spouses can hide money … and how to prove they are lying;

-- Real life dirty tricks, traps, and pitfalls highlighted so you can avoid them;

-- Mediation and court-connected Alternative Dispute Resolution … benefits and pitfalls;

-- How to dig up information your spouse doesn't want you to know (discovery) like an attorney;

-- Common court forms and how to fill them out;

-- More…

Filled with helpful examples of common court forms and legal pleadings, this book will introduce you to everything you NEVER wanted to know about divorce … but need to come up to speed … FAST!!! This is the only self-help legal book written by a woman who was once in your shoes who later went back to school to become an attorney!

BONUS: links to download, edit and print blank Separation Agreement forms.

KIRKUS: “A solid, informative self-help divorce guide. This exhaustive…guide covers a range of topics related to contested and uncontested divorces, including how to gather documentation of assets, estimate child support and alimony, and even, if necessary, obtain restraining orders. She discusses many topics related to asset division and child custody, including marital debt and visitation rights. The book is aimed at the broadest possible audience, but also discusses variations in state laws.” (Review of the 5th Edition).

Legal Disclaimer: This book is not meant to constitute legal advice. The author is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts. Links have been provided to direct women to their local court resources in all 50 states, but the court forms, case histories and property division examples used are loosely based upon cases from Massachusetts. This book is NOT a replacement for consultation with a licensed local attorney.