Make sure you make copies of important household financial documents before you leave. Remove the originals to make your copies and then replace them. Put your copies in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box in your name alone or at a friend or family member's house. If you and your spouse each have a set of these documents, you won't have to spend time and money fighting over getting this information.

If you have financial accounts together, do what you can to protect your share. If you have joint checking and savings accounts, you can take part of each account and open new accounts in your name alone. If your spouse uses the checking account, you will need to notify your spouse that you removed the funds and why so that the account doesn't get overdrawn. Also be sure to make copies of investment account and credit card statements, showing the balances at about the time you're planning to separate.

If you've had little to do with the finances of your household, now is the time to learn about them as fast as you can so you can protect your interests. If your spouse has managed the finances from a joint account you rarely use, you'll need to borrow the records and make copies of the entries so you can figure out what it costs to run your household.