Most guys expect to lose half or more of their assets in divorce after legal costs. Most don't seem to know that child custody battles cost everything you and your family and anyone you can can borrow from can muster together.

Blackdragon advises signing a parenting plan (PP) along with a prenup. Excellent ideas. Parenting plans for those not familiar are court orders that direct who gets to spend time with the kids and when. It lays out all the rules for the parents and is theoretically legally enforceable. Unlike real estate agreements where you tick various boxes to make a tried and true and rigorous contract, PPs are all custom made often by less than talented attorneys. So when a failure of the PP is discovered or abused by another parent, everything goes to hell.

If you don't sign a PP prior to having kids then you'll be required to sign one on divorce. Creating a parenting plan is extremely expensive and fraught with emotions, all made worse by the stress of divorce.

If your ex decides to ignore or obstruct a part of the plan, it is extremely difficult to enforce. You may charge your ex with contempt but the family law system is made for women by women and is very reluctant to chastise a mother while very quick to chastise a father. I've gotten in more trouble for trying to enforce flagrant abuses of my PP than my ex has had consequences for abusing our PP. Every step is designed to fleece you of cash, lots of cash.

Blackdragon's pre-agreed PP is a great idea but not bullet proof. If your ex decides she doesn't like the plan or wants to relocate, you automatically go to "modification." Modification is the legal name for custody battle. Your ex can start one anytime she wants, not just during divorce. Now the costs go astronomical. You are likely to be ordered to pay her legal costs, your own legal costs, expert costs, mediation costs, on and on... The total cost is essentially everything you have because the process doesn't effectively stop until one or both parties are bankrupt and forced to back down and settle.

You could walk away from your kids and save a lot of money. But what decent guy wants to sacrifice his kids?

Bottom line is that the legal system is designed to bankrupt you. Be super careful who you have kids with. Custody battles only go to court and crazy costs when one party is crazy. Sign the PP before you cum. If it all breaks down go out of your way to keep it friendly and cordial. Don't get sucked into the legal hell that is a custody battle if you can work it out. Don't be afraid to make lots of compromises. Better to give her the house to enjoy in peace than give it to your attorney along with your cars and baseball cards.