Before terminating a marriage, many married couples elect to physically separate. In this context, physical separation often includes moving out of a shared residence, winding up joint bank and debt ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Erika Rasure is globally-recognized as a leading consumer economics subject matter expert, ...

Legal separation describes a state that you can think of as being somewhere between marriage and divorce. The partners’ union is not formally dissolved, although legal separation can be a step toward ...

Legal separation in Arizona is often misunderstood as a softer alternative to divorce, but in practice, it functions almost identically. Under ...

Tim (not his real name) and his live-in girlfriend come to meet me. Jamie wants to get married, “We’ve been living together for five years and it’s time!” she says. “I have been more than patient, but ...

A break-up is never pleasant and the collapse of a marriage is even more of an ordeal, especially if you have children. If you think your relationship has reached its end, you might be unsure how to ...

The idea of trying a trial separation can be daunting. Being sure to weigh the benefits and risks and set clear rules and boundaries will help. Trial separations are often misunderstood due to the ...

For better or worse, not all marriages go smoothly enough to warrant their continued existence, sometimes necessitating legal action such as divorce. There are, however, instances where divorce may ...