Whether you live in Pennsylvania or somewhere else, the holiday period at the end of every year tends not to be the time you want to start divorce proceedings. That's partly because so many divorces are rife with adversarial tension. Who wants to be emotionally battered during the holidays?

But when January comes, the sea changes and the divorce tide rises. The first month of the year is historically when most divorces get filed.

Many sources of divorce preparation advice tend to approach the subject from the typical adversarial perspective. No-fault divorce runs counter to the norm because both parties work together to reach acceptable terms so that a break can be made quickly and everyone can get on with their lives as smoothly as possible. Still, some of the tips offered for the common, friction-filled divorce can also apply to the no-fault alternative.

Here are some to consider now if a no-fault divorce is coming in the new year.

1. Start compiling financial documents. December brings with it a flood of year-end statements from banks, investment plans, credit cards and lenders. These are important bits of information that should be openly shared between spouses to ensure that an open conversation about asset distribution can be held.

2. Know your credit score. This is an issue that can wind up causing a lot of difficulty in a no-fault situation. Oftentimes couples have joint credit cards in play. One person's activity can affect the credit score of the other in a divorce situation. Mutual awareness of all credit scores can facilitate better discussion about how to do what's best for the score of each party.

3. Find an attorney you trust. As simple as Pennsylvania no-fault divorce is meant to be, it still can get muddled up if it's not done correctly. Enlisting the help of an experienced lawyer can help.

4. Establish individual bank accounts. If a clean break is desired, the need to have individual accounts is obviously important. Advisors who presume the adversarial approach to divorce tend to focus on encouraging defensive measures to protect assets, such as not using the same bank where joint accounts are held. That may not be necessary in a no-fault situation, but opening separate accounts is.

Source: Forbes.com, "End-of-the-Year Checklist for Divorcing Women," Jeffrey A. Landers, Dec. 6, 2011