If you are currently married but are not happy and wish to end the relationship, there are a few different options. Two of the most common options are legal separation and divorce. Divorce is well-known and very common, ending in the dissolution of the marriage. It also allows a couple to separate and divide up property and assets. Child custody and maintenance may also be worked out in a divorce.

Legal separation is not as well-known. If a couple legally separates, they do not dissolve the marriage, but instead will have a separation agreement. Many of the same issues are addressed, such as child visitation, custody, alimony, or maintenance. However, it does not divide up properties and assets unless both people agree to it ahead of time. Neither spouse is allowed to remarry because the marriage has never been formally dissolved. There are differences in how finances are handled in each option so it is important to evaluate all your options before making a firm decision.

What Is Better About Legal Separation?

Not all marriages will benefit more from legal separation. However, if you wish to take advantage of any of the benefits below, it may be beneficial to legally separate instead of divorce:

Although there are exceptions, most married couples fall under the same insurance plan. What happens, though, if the couple then goes through a divorce? Is each party then responsible for their own insurance, or is there a way to continue coverage on a spouse’s plan? Are there other alternatives for disadvantaged spouses who may not otherwise have insurance? The following offers some advice on how to manage your insurance plans after divorce, including when and how to find new insurance if you will no longer be covered after divorce.

Health Insurance After Divorce

If you were covered under your spouse’s insurance plan during the marriage, you can attempt to maintain coverage under your spouse’s workplace plan through COBRA. Unfortunately, this is rarely a cost effective method for maintaining insurance; you may be better off paying for private health insurance. Alternatively, you can seek insurance through your own employer, the health insurance plan marketplace, or you can apply for Medicare or Medicaid (depending on your age). Note that your children may still be covered under your spouse’s plan, but you may be required to help cover a portion of it.

Divorce causes a significant amount of emotional, mental, and physical stress, especially when a divorce is particularly caustic. With all the items that need to be decided on for a divorce settlement, as well as the uncertainty of the final result of a divorce, it may be difficult to ensure that all of your needs properly addressed. In fact, health insurance coverage is one of the many particulars that ends up getting lost in the middle of a divorce settlement.

Study Sheds Light on Loss of Coverage for Many Women Post-Divorce