With the poor economy dragging on, many have been forced to work longer hours, adding more stress to already troubled marriages and families. Divorce, as our readers are aware, can sometimes be a costly process. Costly in a number of ways, including of course financially.

Business owners and those in positions of leadership particularly struggle during a divorce, which can sometimes take significant amounts of time away from work and putting businesses at risk. When divorce comes into the picture, this can leave already struggling businesses without the leadership they need to stay afloat. Some attorneys have reported seeing an increased number of small businesses fail as a result of costly and stressful divorces.

One good piece of news in all this is that no-fault divorce is often a bit easier process for divorcing parties, who are able to avoid providing legally recognized grounds for divorce to the court, including emotional abuse or adultery. Mucking into those issues can make the process embarrassing and stressful for parties.

Spouses who pursue a no-fault divorce are often able to divorce on amicable terms and save money of their settlement. No-fault divorce is currently available throughout the entire United States.

Additionally, there are a number of things business owners can do to prepare for the possibility of divorce, including preparing a will, prenuptial agreement, buy/sell agreements specifying what takes place with company ownership; and domestic asset protection trusts. These and other strategies can help business owners protect their business in the event of divorce and make the process a bit easier.

Looking into these options may be the difference between keeping your business going and watching it crumble along with your marriage.

Source: Reuters, "Divorce has "immense" impact on small businesses," Deborah L. Cohen, Sep 28, 2011.