Divorce Lawyers in Geneva IL can help a married couple file for a legal separation if they are not yet ready to end the marriage. Many couples find advantages in having a legal separation and some choose to continue this arrangement for years. If neither wants to marry someone else, they may not see any benefit to getting divorced.
Setting up the separation as a legal agreement is important for protecting each spouse’s rights. For instance, without a legal separation, a spouse who buys some real estate technically shares the property with the husband or wife. If they do decide to get divorced in the future, that spouse can lay claim to half the value. A legal separation set up by Divorce Lawyers in Geneva IL prevents this. It also prevents one spouse from running up a credit card balance in his or her own name and having the other spouse also be responsible for the bills.
Why do people decide not to end the marriage? Some want to help the spouse by staying married long enough so the husband or wife will receive Social Security benefits under the other person’s name. Those benefits are paid even if the couple has been divorced, as long as they stayed married long enough to qualify. This is a choice couples might make if one spouse was a homemaker and didn’t earn much, if any, money throughout the married years.
Health insurance often is a primary reason to stay married, especially if the couple is approaching their senior years. It’s common for one spouse’s insurance to cover the husband or wife. They will be able to have Medicare benefits upon reaching age 65, but in the meantime, both need the insurance coverage through one person’s work benefits.
Religious beliefs sometimes prevent a couple from divorcing. Some faiths prohibit divorce, while others prohibit a second marriage after divorce. The two individuals may no longer want to live together, but they believe that God does not recognize the end of a marriage. A legal separation arranged by an organization such as The Cosentino Law Firm may be their solution. Visit the website to begin the process.
