There are many considerations that go into deciding when to get a divorce. For some, even when the marriage has come to an end, divorce may not be an immediate option for various reasons. Couples who do not want to stay together, but are not ready for a divorce, may find the solution is filing for a legal separation.
Why a Legal Separation?
Some of the reasons for avoiding divorce are religious, financial, or social. It may be that a couple’s religion does not allow divorce, or that one spouse needs to stay covered as a spouse under the other’s health insurance policy for a period of time. Other couples may remain married in order to reach a certain number of years of marriage and qualify for benefits. For example, one spouse can qualify for another spouse’s Social Security benefits after they have been married for 10 years.
A legal separation may be the better option for couples in these situations. A legal separation involves more than just one spouse moving out, and the couple living separately.
...