Is A Limited Divorce Right For Me?
When a couple wants to remain legally married but live their lives separately, they may be interested in a limited divorce. Also sometimes referred to as a bed and board divorce, these legal arrangements allow the two individuals to move toward single lives while they still are legally linked for other reasons, often financial. For instance, you may want to keep health insurance or other benefits but no longer want to share a home with your spouse.
Pursuing a limited divorce means custodial rights, financial issues, insurance and other concerns will need to be legally addressed. Discuss the pros and cons of this option for you and your family with a Bucks County family attorney.
Health Insurance Benefits and Other Concerns
When a separation is amicable, it may come to light through the negotiation process that the person with the less robust employer insurance plan would benefit from remaining on their spouse’s health insurance plan. This can be especially true if the person who would be underinsured has a health issue and no employer sponsored benefit available to them at all.
When a couple remains legally married, such as in a bed and board divorce, both individuals can remain on a family plan offered by one spouse’s employer. This is true even if other assets were distributed. For example maybe the family home is put in one spouse’s name and the other spouse becomes the sole owner of a portion of investments.
Official divorces are qualifying events when it comes to health insurance plans and other benefits. A qualifying event is when an individual can be dropped from a plan because they are no longer eligible for the benefit due to the life change.
Of course, there are many details that need to be analyzed and addressed, including parenting plans, inheritances, and debt responsibilities, in order to make a limited divorce an optimal outcome for both parties.
Limited Divorces Are Reversible
Understanding all of the differences between an official divorce and a limited divorce is an important part of determining which choice will work for you. One difference is that a limited divorce is reversible, meaning the individuals can get back together and have the bed and board agreement revoked.
For some, a limited divorce is a good option when a marriage is struggling. But if you want to cut ties and no longer be connected to your spouse, an official divorce could be advantageous. Discuss your goals with a Bucks County family attorney. Then, they can share with you outcomes they have arrived at for past clients so you can make an informed opinion.
Do you have questions about if a separation, bed and board divorce, or official divorce is the best path for you and your family? Talk through your concerns with the compassionate legal team at Kardos, Rickles & Hand. Learning about your goals and if your split is uncontested or not will allow our attorneys to provide you with resolution options. When you are ready to move toward your goals, call 215-968-6602.
