And don't forget, Poet, since you were married more than 10 years, you can claim social security benefits when you retire based on HIS earnings, if they're higher than yours.
And I agree with others, in addition to fighting for the best deal for you, you also need to be careful not to get stuck and to make a forward-moving plan. If the two of you have few assets, then even if you get a good deal, you're still gonna have to plan to make a living. Do you work now? Have you worked in the past? Do you have any skills you can parley into an income?
I saw a woman on the morning news shows. She was 40, overweight (250 lbs) and in an unhappy marriage. She ended up divorced, and it was obvious from how she answered questions that what followed next came from her decision that living well was the best revenge. She lost weight, became a body-building weight-loss guru, has a popular book out now and is now 50, beautiful, famous and successful! I bet her ex-husband is PISSED!!! lol
