At Levine & Levine, we understand that marriages can wrong for a lot of different reasons. Sometimes those reasons are enough for couples to consider, and then choose, divorce. Divorce is a difficult process to go through because there can be so many things to sort out. For some couples in the Morris County area divorce might actually seem like more trouble than it’s worth. If you have reached a point of no return in your marriage but you really don’t want to go trough all of the hassles of divorce, there is another option.
Have you ever heard of legal separation? If so have you ever considered it as an option for your less-than harmonious marriage? Legal separation does have some advantages over divorce. First, what is a legal separation? According to WomansDivorce.com, a legal separation is a legal written document that must be filed in court, and which covers all of the responsibilities and rights of a married couple who has chosen to live apart.
Although a legal separation is like a divorce in many ways, there are some benefits available with legal separations that are not possible in divorce. For example, even though you are legally living apart you can still maintain your marital status, which can be helpful for insurance benefits and coverage. It can also give you time to truly weigh your options and your relationship to determine if divorce is right or if you want to try to work things out.
Keeping your married status can also help with taxes, as well as social security, and military benefits. You can also protect your financial interests that are earned or collected while you’re separated, because they may not be considered marital property if you do end up getting divorced.
If you have more questions about legal separations, as well as any questions regarding divorce, please visit our page about family law to learn more.
