Do You Have To Be Living Separately To Get A Divorce?

Usually when couples are at the stage when they decide to end their marriage, one or both spouses set out to find a new place to live. If finances allow for that, then that is an acceptable practice, and it may also benefit both party’s emotional well-being. At the same time, it may not be the case that the couple would go through with this physical separation. There are any number of reasons why couples would choose this arrangement, all of which are valid. In many states cohabitation during the divorce process is an option, as there is not a legal requirement to physically separate during your separation and divorce.

Since it is a myth that you are required to physically separate to different addresses during the divorce process, it is worth looking at the reasons why you would not want to separate during this time. One reason that you may come to realize is that your finances might not be in the best shape for one or both of you to move to a new location. If your combined income was enough to meet the bare minimum for your rent or mortgage payments, as well as your additional bills, you might need to hold off on moving out for the time being. The situation may be that finding and moving into a new dwelling may cost more money than would be feasible, and so staying together can give both parties a reasonable amount of time to locate a new place to live that works with their individual income.

For couples who have children, they may find that an immediate separation can cause harm to the children’s emotional wellbeing. Children can have difficulties processing their parent’s divorce, so staying together for a time, while having intensive conversations that will set the children’s minds at ease, can be the best way forward until the divorce process is complete. Naturally, this would require a great deal of cooperation on the part of the parents, but if they are more or less getting along in spite of their circumstances then it can be possible to put aside their tensions for the benefit of the children.

The no-fault divorce process is generally the best way for couples to stay together during the divorce process. Fortunately, Alabama is a no-fault state, which means you do not have to cite a specific reason when you start an uncontested divorce in Barbour County or wherever you are residing in the State of Alabama. The reasons you would give for a no-fault divorce are things like incompatibility or breakdown of the marriage. Incompatibility simply means that the spouses no longer get along, while the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage means that it is broken to the extent that it is beyond repair. Despite these reasons, and the awkwardness that may attend them, couples can stay together for the duration of the divorce process. If couples have concerns about their finances which prevents them from moving out, the good news is that a no-fault divorce is one of the cheapest options available for a divorce.