You cannot predict the future and determine whether your marriage will last. However, you can take certain steps to improve your marriage and reduce your risk of getting divorced. Whether you are a newlywed or have been married for decades, these seven tips can help you prevent divorce:

1. Take Care of Yourself

Meeting your own personal needs will help you be the best person you can for your partner. In order to do so, eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. You should also shower and groom yourself on a daily basis. Taking care of yourself is an easy way for you to keep the attraction alive.

Often, men and fathers do not take steps to protect their rights in a divorce, because they believe that women and mothers are always favored in the decisions made in family court. However, if you are a man or father going through a divorce, you should know that you have certain rights, and you do not have to let a divorce hurt your finances and your future. Here are five tips that can help you survive your divorce: 

1. Ensure Your Assets Are Protected 

Wisconsin is a community property state, meaning that property a couple acquired during their marriage is distributed equally between both spouses so that each one leaves the marriage with about the same amount of assets and debts. Although Wisconsin courts usually favor equal property division, they may deviate from it after considering several factors, such as the length of the marriage, the property each spouse brought to the marriage, and each spouse’s contributions to the marriage. By seeking experienced legal representation, you can ensure your assets are protected. 

After parents decide to separate or get divorced, it is most convenient if they live within driving distance of one another. While it is not easy for a child to adjust to a new lifestyle when one parent moves out, things become even more difficult for them if their mom or dad moves to another state or a city that is several hours away. If you are going through a divorce or legal separation and are unsure of how to successfully co-parent because one parent lives far away, here are some helpful tips for long distance parenting plans: 

Design a Schedule 

It is essential to create a schedule of visitation times and stick to it. By keeping visitation schedules consistent, your child will be able to gain trust and feel loved by both parents. Even if the parent who lives out of town may not be able to attend every sporting event or milestone in a child’s life, they should be aware of these activities and frequently communicate with children about important events, as well as their day to day life. 

In addition to emotional challenges, divorce can lead to a great deal of financial difficulty. If you are going through a divorce, it’s important to be aware of some actions that could cause serious financial hardship down the road. Some of the most common financial divorce mistakes include: 

1. Disregarding Real Costs

Often, couples will consider the current value of their investments and completely forget about the real costs of liquidation. For instance, cashing out a retirement account could lead to financial penalties, and selling a property could result in capital gains taxes. Be sure to calculate the real cost of dividing an asset prior to making any decisions.

While divorce is complex for all couples, this is particularly true for military couples. If you or your spouse is in the military, and you are undergoing a divorce, you should seek legal representation from a lawyer who is well-versed in military divorce. By doing so, you can avoid the following common military divorce mistakes: 

Failure to Recognize the Service Member Relief Act

Non-military spouses should realize that there is a law that may change the timeline of their divorce. The Service Member Relief Act states that a service member can be protected from divorce proceedings that arise while they are overseas. Therefore, a non-military spouse cannot begin the divorce process until their spouse returns home.