It is difficult enough to survive the emotional rollercoaster of a divorce. When you throw in the financial implications it is easy to see why this breaks down so many people. Fortunately, if you prepare in advance you can eliminate many of the financial issues involved with a divorce.

Here are several things to be aware of, as well as tips that can help you financially survive a divorce:

1. Try to make it through the divorce process without hiring attorneys. While you may think this is impossible, if both parties are willing to work together, even if only a little bit, it can be done. Why is this so important? Simply put, when divorce attorneys get involved a lot of money is going to be spent by both parties.

2. Make sure you have a prepared settlement agreement in place. This will show in black and white how all of the assets and property are going to be split. Not only will this help to ensure that you get what you deserve, but it will make the entire process less stressful.

3. Do not let your spouse make all the decisions. You have to be prepared to do your part to ensure that you do not get the “bad end of the stick.” Make sure you organize all your paperwork including bank statements, tax documents, and anything else that will help you during the process.

4. Get ready to change your lifestyle. It goes without saying that your financial life will be different after divorce. Are you making enough money to support yourself? Do you need to make large changes, such as downsizing, in order to get by? This goes along with being as organized as possible. Well before your divorce is finalized you have to start thinking about how you are going to survive on your own.

5. Create a budget for your new life. As you are changing your lifestyle you should be looking at the numbers with a focus on both income and expenses. In the past, you may have relied solely on your spouse’s income for particular expenses – this is no longer a possibility. When budgeting, take into consideration your income, expenses, and anything that will carry over from your relationship. For instance, are you going to get the house and the mortgage that comes along with it? If so, you have to be prepared for this.

6. Child support. Divorce can be very difficult on a child. On top of this, it will affect the economics of the split. Which parent will the child (or children) live with? Your custody schedule and monthly income will help determine financial responsibilities.

7. Spousal support. Is either party entitled to financial support from the other? Believe it or not, only 10 to 15 percent of all divorces involve spousal support. That being said, it is still a point to consider.

Nobody dreams of going through a divorce. Unfortunately, it is more common than ever before. It is important to be well aware of the financial impacts of this decision, as well as what you have to do to survive.

Selected as an Entry in the PopEconomics Carnival of Personal Finance.