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Understanding Divorce and Legal Separation

Divorce: An Overview

Divorce (aka dissolution of marriage) is the legal process by which your marriage is terminated. Depending on your situation, the issues involved in a divorce may be as follows: division of assets and liabilities; spousal support; parenting plan; child support. To find more information on these issues, please see the FAQ or Blog.

What is Legal Separation?

Legal separation involves the same issues as a divorce. The only difference is that when you are only legally separated, you are still technically married.

Converting Legal Separation to Divorce

Due to this, you cannot marry another person unless or until you convert your legal separation to a divorce, which is a fairly simple process that can be done after 6 months from the date the legal separation was finalized and entered by the court.

Reasons to Choose Legal Separation

You may choose to legally separate instead of divorce for a variety of reasons: you want to leave open the option of reconciliation; your religious views do not allow for a divorce; or you want to keep your legally separated spouse on your health insurance (this is not allowed by most health insurance companies but might be for some, an inquiry is required).

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