Understanding the benefits of legal separation

There is a bit of a social stigma surrounding divorce, wherein couples may feel that staying in an unhappy relationship is preferable to admitting that their marriage has failed. But despite what society may tell you, there is truly nothing wrong with recognizing that a once happy, healthy relationship has become a strenuous lifestyle. Things change throughout the course of a marriage, and things like loss of job or addition of children can completely alter your lifestyle and change the dynamic of your marriage. There is no shame in leaving a marriage that is not making you happy.

Of course, divorce can be a frightening prospect, even if you are unhappy in your marriage. How do you know that divorced life will be any better? Perhaps your life will become even more difficult and stressful without the support of your spouse, and the loneliness will begin to depress you. These are real concerns, which is why the state of Missouri offers legal separation.

In Missouri, couples can become legally separated through a separation agreement. This agreement acts as a way of determining how the couple’s lives will be separated, addressing many of the issues that a divorce would address, such as child custody and asset division. However, it is important to note in a legal separation that couples are still technically married, even though they must live apart.

Legal separation is a wonderful option for couples who are unhappy in their marriage, but want to avoid the potential social stigmas of divorce. More importantly, it gives couples a chance to see what their lives might be like if they were to get divorced, so that they can know for sure if their relationship is truly a source of unhappiness, or if the problem is something else altogether that they can work through. We have a great deal of experience handling legal separations and other family law matters, so please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have about the process.