Separation

Legal separation won’t dissolve your marriage in the eyes of the California courts, but there are still many advantages to filing a separation agreement. As a legal matter, a separation allows your attorneys to begin the process of marital property division during the mandatory six-month waiting period prior to the final divorce decree.

A legal separation may allow spouses to continue to take advantage of health care and tax benefits enjoyed by married couples. For long-term marriages where neither party expects to remarry, a separation may be an excellent option.

If divorce is not your ultimate objective, legal separation protects your rights throughout the process of setting support and dividing marital property.