The house, the schools, the kids' whole world. You want to protect all of it.

Burke is in Fairfax County, so the divorce and the property division go to the Fairfax County Circuit Court at 4110 Chain Bridge Road. Custody or support on their own start at the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in the same building.

They add right onto the base guideline amount. Work related childcare and the cost of covering the children on a health plan are split between the parents in proportion to income. Keep the statements and receipts, because the court needs proof before it adds them in.

Sometimes, though it depends on the equity, the mortgage, and whether one of you can carry it alone. We look at a refinance, a buyout, or a sale, and we weigh what keeping the home would mean for the children's stability and your own budget.

Not without thinking it through. Leaving can affect custody and the household finances, and once you go it is hard to undo. Talk to us first, so the move, if you make it, protects you rather than costs you.

When you both agree and sign, a divorce can close within a few months of meeting the separation period. A contested case usually runs closer to a year or more, since the court sets the hearing schedule. We keep it moving and tell you what to expect.