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Although it is a topic that most people don't want to consider, divorce has a tremendous impact on real estate and financial holdings. Real Estate may represent the largest asset that is being considered within the divorce proceeding, therefore it is something that should be considered when a separation or divorce are on the horizon. There are over 1.4 million divorces in the US every year. Here are some tips and strategies on how to maintain your lifestyle after a divorce and how to evaluate various real estate and financial settlement options prior to a separation & divorce:

You should consider and evaluate the options related to disbursement of your real estate assets prior to the divorce settlement. This could include an evaluation of whether you work out an agreement to:

o Sell your home or refinance your your jointly held real estate holding in order to cash out an ex-wife or ex-husband

o Pay or accept spousal support, child support or a higher cash flow payment versus a lump sum distribution involving any real estate assets. You should evaluate the cash flow and protection implications of various financial decisions before, during and after a divorce. This enables you to:

o Maintain your lifestyle

o Keep your children in the same school system as a single parent

o Still live in a home that does not break your budget

o Stay on track to achieve financial freedom and become debt-free

You should look to correct your financial liquidity and protect your any real estate assets from potential liabilities prior to going through a separation & divorce by working together with your CPA, CFP, attorney, Real Estate Team and other advisors.

Don't settle for an financial short-term fix or strategy if you failed to plan properly during a divorce situation. You can minimize the impact by implementing a step-by-step plan for how to re-establish your financial footing after going through a divorce. This may involve:

o Staged Financing - a refinancing or debt restructuring plan that takes place over time

o Sale/Leaseback or Rent-to-Own strategy - a way to keep or purchase a home for sale or when you can't qualify for traditional financing options.

o Seek out Affordable Single Family Homes for Sale or Bank Owned / Foreclosure Homes for Sale

You worked hard to develop the assets and real estate holdings involved. You should consider all of your options to create an environment that works to protect those assets.