There may be couples or individuals who are in a rush to finalize their divorce so they can move on with their lives. However, for some Pennsylvania couples, the divorce process may be a slow one. A recent article highlights the reasons why putting off a divorce can do more harm than good for an individual.
There are separations that go one for quite some time. During that separation time, if you are still legally married, you are bound together financially. This means if your spouse gets into any kind of financial trouble, you are considered part of the equation even if you live separate lives. This financial trouble could be debts or credit problems.
If you are merely separated and still contemplating a reconciliation, the other party may already know divorce is what they want. They could essentially take the extra time to hide assets so when divorce is filed, they are able to keep you from knowing exactly what they have. This is not illegal as long as you are still married, and it is very easy for one party to leave the other out of the loop when it comes to finances.
While a short-term separation can help couples be certain that they either want to try and reconcile or that they truly would be better off pursuing a divorce, clear guidelines may be helpful. An indefinite separation can hurt both parties financially and in other ways. Pennsylvania couples may want to outline a specific time frame or pre-determine the fate of financial matters before they agree to an indefinite separation period.
Source: Forbes, Putting Off Divorce? Ten Ways Long-term Separations Can Do Women More Harm Than Good, Jeff Landers, Oct. 10, 2013
