When you and your spouse married, you may have known little about his or her business. However, you took a keen interest and learned whatever you could, even if only to participate in conversations at the dinner table. Throughout your marriage, your spouse's business may have been the primary means of support for your family. Now that you are approaching divorce, you may wonder how that business and its appreciation will play out in property division.

Your spouse may indicate that the business is not on the table. However, the law may say otherwise. Unless your spouse took careful precautions to protect the business from asset division, you may have a right to your fair share of its worth

Did your spouse keep it separate?

Watching your friends sharing pictures of their growing children on Facebook may have been difficult for you. As much as you love your nieces and nephews, a child of your own is something you have dreamed about for some time. Now that you have made the decision to adopt a child, you probably have many questions and, perhaps, even a little fear.

Whether you have struggled with infertility as one in eight couples do, or you are a single person hoping to raise a child, your commitment to the adoption process is crucial. If you are still uncertain, having a better understanding of how adoption works may solidify your determination to enter this rewarding process.

Qualifications

How many times has your spouse argued that you did not understand his or her feelings or were blatantly ignoring them? Statistics show there are certain key factors regarding communication skills between spouses that often determine whether marriages will last or end in divorce. Especially if poor communication has contributed to divorce in the first place, it's crucial to understand the importance of clear communication during and after divorce.

Reviewing the contributing factors that led to your filing for divorce may, in fact, help you overcome certain obstacles as you navigate divorce proceedings. While you definitely have rights and it's important to protect them, it typically helps keep stress levels to a minimum if you are willing to try to see the other person's point of view as well.

Remember that no two people are exactly the same

When you got married, you likely thought that your relationship would last. Now that years have passed, you — like many others throughout Texas — may have come to realize that time and experiences have changed your relationship and feelings in a way that makes your marriage impossible to continue.

Because most ideas about divorce revolve around nasty conflict and spiteful actions, your concerns over this type of scenario are not unwarranted. However, you can take steps to prepare yourself for the legal proceedings ahead and work toward a less stressful divorce.

Assess your assets

While spousal maintenance — commonly called alimony — is rare in Texas, there are situations where alimony may be awarded. Before that happens, though, multiple factors must be considered to determine whether one spouse is entitled to alimony.

Who can get spousal maintenance?

There are two ways to get alimony in Texas. One way is for the spouses to agree on a support plan on their own through mediation or private negotiations. This route may be taken to help equalize the division of community property. Alternatively, the spouse seeking support can petition the court for alimony payments.