Whether the decision is mutual or the result of one person simply doing what they feel is best, there is no question that once the divorce process starts moving forward in earnest that both spouses will have no shortage of suggestions from friends and family.

While these suggestions are frequently innocuous or given with the best of intentions, they can sometimes prove to be incorrect or, worse, detrimental to the long-term best interests of their loved one.

For example, two pieces of advice that soon-to-be divorced people often hear from loved ones that experts suggest they think twice about heeding include:

• Try your best to hang onto the family home: While every situation is different, experts urge people to proceed with caution when it comes to the idea of keeping the family home. Specifically, they warn people not to end up sacrificing other far more valuable assets like retirement accounts due to any sentimentality they may feel toward the place they’ve called home for many years. They also caution that even though there can be equity in a home, there can also be a significant amount of labor involved, as well as major maintenance costs.
• Your insurance needs are covered with health insurance: While there is no doubt that health insurance is an extremely important issue, experts indicate that it is perhaps just one element of the broader picture concerning insurance. In particular, they argue that in situations where one spouse is paying child support and/or providing health insurance, it is also important to consider things such as disability insurance and even life insurance to guarantee that their needs will continue to be met in the event the unimaginable occurs.

What all of this really serves to underscore is that those spouses who are mulling divorce, looking to file for divorce or have been served with papers should strongly consider consulting with an experienced legal professional who can answer their questions and help protect their best interests — both now and in the years ahead.