Respectfully request advice as newly divorced dad
My backstory. I was married to a magnificent woman for 22 years, taken all too soon by cancer. We had no kids. So that makes me in the grand scheme of things, poorly qualified to offer advice on your situation. However, I know many, many friends and acquaintances who are in your shoes. You have had lots of good advice here, I would add some emphasis. Get the best lawyer you can find. You don't want a touchy-feely pussy, you want a stone-cold pit bull that will look after your interests. This is not about being nice because whatever your history was, it's about winning. Have no doubt the wife will be playing for keeps. You need to do the same. Document EVERYTHING. Every conversation and interaction with date, time, and what you said/what she said. If you can do so via email or some other medium that can be printed off, so much the better. Send all funds via a method that can be tracked, proven, and documented. Don't lull yourself into complacency thinking everything will work out OK, establish your position and dig in to get a good outcome. I know far too many guys who got screwed by a wife who talked nice and played dirty, leaving them wrecked for many, many years. Best of luck with this. It can be disheartening to have to face this stuff, but failure to do so can easily make you the loser. I wish you the best as you work through this.