On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Legal Separation on Thursday, October 1, 2015.
Divorce is a concept that many people are familiar with, even if they have never gone through it themselves. Whether through movies and television shows, watching the news or knowing somebody who has gone through a divorce, most people understand the concept of legally dissolving a marriage and splitting the life the couple were leading. Issues such as asset division, child custody and child support are not foreign to most.
Even though it is extremely similar to divorce, people may be less familiar with legal separation. In a legal separation, courts still determine many issues such as child custody and sometimes asset division, and the couples are legally required to live apart. However, a legal separation is not a divorce, even though it may be similar. There is one key difference to a legal separation: the couple remain legally married, even though they may be separated.
There are many reasons that a couple may wish to seek legal separation instead of divorce. Some people are afraid of the social stigma attached to a divorce, believing that people will treat them differently if they have divorced, so instead they seek legal separation to live a divorcee lifestyle without officially being divorced. Others may be uncertain about their marriage, but may still hold out hope for a successful resolution. In these instances, they may opt to legally separate in order to see if divorce would truly improve their lives, or if it would simply make things even more difficult.
Divorce and legal separation are extremely similar, but there are key differences that could help you decide if legal separation is right for you. If you live in Missouri, and you believe that you might benefit from legal separation, visit our webpage to learn more about the process, as well as how we can help Missouri couples with separation agreements.
