Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks5 Rules of Divorce

When it comes to any marriage, we always believe in for better or for worse. But what if the worse turns to divorce? Here are five rules you should know about divorce even before you say "I do."

It's a word many don't want to hear when you're in marriage bliss, but knowing more about divorce could save you money, not to mention a brutal emotional battle.

At 30 years old, Leanne Sucrow achieved everything she wanted. She became a business owner and a mother but never did she think she's be divorced.

"No," she says. "Never in a million years. It was a long distance relationship."

It was whirlwind love story that brought Leanne from Chicago to Fargo but five years into the marriage, reality hit.

"There was just something not right."

Leanne found out through Facebook her husband was cheating on her.

"I just felt like someone who was suppose to be my best friend just stabbed me in the back and threw me under the bus," Leanne says.

Leanne was hoping her husband's infidelity would help her case but she was surprised. That's our first rule: "Cheating doesn't matter."

"When it comes to property, it's about dollars and cents," says Jason McLean, a family attorney at Gjesdahl Law Offices in North Fargo. "There's no real way around it."

Mclean says court is never a place for people to air their dirty laundry. And hiding your money from your spouse almost never works. That brings us to our second rule: "You can't hide your assets."

"It's just a dumb idea," says McLean. "You can rarely ever get away through the discovery process and accountants and just the fact that people talk."

And the talk and fighting may never end. Mclean says there are cases where couples can still fight for marital assets after a divorce is finalized. Which leads us to rule number three: "it's never over."

"You can have the never-ending divorce but unless you have the money tree in the backyard, it really doesn't make a lot of sense to do it."

And if you want to avoid the drama as much as possible, our fourth rule may make the most sense: "Get a pre-nup."

"If you have anything at all concerned about, anything, get one."

Being a new family, Leanne never thought she needed a pre-nup. But the next time she finds love, Leanne says she'll know better.

"I probably would be cautious second time around, because again -- the world could just be ripped out underneath you and you would have no clue."

Our final rule: "You're not alone."

Nowadays, there are forensic accountants and private investigators who can help you win your divorce. And believe it or not, there's also businesses that can help you pay for your case. They'll finance your divorce for you in exchange for a percentage of your settlement.

• Pre-Nuptials Attorney Raoul Felder gives advice on  

pre-nuptials.

 • Hiding Assets Thinking of hiding money in a divorce? Don't under estimate your opponent. Forensic accountant Marie Ebersbacher explains.

• Background Checks Planning to get married? Divorce attorney Karen Steger suggests you should research your soon to be spouse.

• Insurance After a divorce left him broke, businessman John Logan had an idea to begin selling divorce insurance. He opened Wedlock, an insurance company that provides a financial safety net in case of divorce. Logan talks about the stress of leaving a marriage.

• Signs of a Cheating Spouse Private investigator Tony DeLorenzo discusses the different signs of a cheating spouse.

• Cheating on Your Spouse Gerald Nissenbaum, divorce attorney and author of Sex, Love and Money: Revenge and Ruin in the World of High Stakes Divorce, talks about cheating on a spouse.