Getting divorced can feel like a crash course in a foreign language. Terms like interrogatory, provisional order, or QDRO get used in conversations and paperwork long before anyone stops to explain what they mean.

Learning this vocabulary early brings a sense of stability and confidence so that you can follow what's actually happening in your case, instead of just nodding along.

Divorce requires you to make significant decisions about major aspects of your life including your home, your money, your children, and your future. Understanding your full financial landscape will allow you to make well-informed decisions about dividing assets, whether staying in or leaving the home is financially realistic, and about what kind of support you may need or be entitled to.

Every divorce is different, and the timeline and sequence of events will vary from one case to the next. For most cases, however, there are a few common dates and milestones to expect as your case progresses.