For some married couples that are experiencing difficulties in their relationship, the decision to separate may make sense. Because every relationship is different, every separation will look different as well.
In some instances the separation will be temporary—a sort of test—to determine if in fact the couple is happier living apart. This could ultimately lead to a divorce, or in the alternative, a couple could reconcile. For other couples, the separation could continue indefinitely, leading neither to divorce nor reconciliation.
There are many reasons why a couple might decide to remain married while living apart. In some situations religion plays a role. In order to stay within the one’s religious beliefs, they will not divorce. Other times the reason is financial. Particularly where benefits are concerned, spouses can find it easier to live apart but stay married, than to divorce and have to work through the division of benefits. Staying married could be beneficial where income taxes are concerned as well.
Though legal separations are not recognized in the state of Texas, married couples nonetheless do choose to live apart. When this happens there are certain things that should be addressed to make the separation work for both parties. These include determining:
Working through issues such as these can help the couple to avoid disputes. In addition, should they eventually decide to divorce, they will have a good point from which to launch.
Individuals need not be in the process of or even intending to divorce to benefit from working with a family law lawyer who handles divorce cases. They can be of assistance to those seeking to separate as well.