In this economic day and time, if you are married, and are considering separating, you should at least have an initial consultation with an attorney. Although many people are concerned about the distribution of certain property items, the debt issues can be just as important, especially where people are "upside down" in th asset. Additionally, it goes without saying that when custody issues are involved, you need advice from a practicing attorney. Although folks are looking to cutback on certain expenses these days, good legal advice should not be one of those items. Brad Schulz