Some husbands hide things. They have secret investment accounts or bank accounts. In some families, because one spouse is more responsible for finances than the other, everything could be hidden. Credit card fees, withdrawals from 401 (k) accounts and other things could have totally escaped your notification. Disclaimer: If you and your partner have serious communication problems or have been managed abuse or anger in the past, do not try to negotiate a separation agreement yourself. Use a mediator or talk to a lawyer. You don`t have to wait for you and your partner to agree on everything before entering into a separation agreement. You can reach a separation agreement on the things you agree on while continuing to work to resolve your other problems. For example, if you agree on custody, access and child care, you can reach an agreement on these issues while continuing to work on your ownership issues. While a divorce always involves a separation of bodies, separation without dissolution does not always end in divorce. In some cases, a period of separation can actually help a couple to reconcile and continue their marriage. Tip: Don`t be surprised if you and your partner have different priorities when it comes to each of these categories.

By identifying your individual priorities, it`s easier to find a way to reach a compromise that will allow you both to live. In these situations, you may need a family law member as a mediator to solve your problems. The Getting Help step from a family law professional will give you more information about it. Or you might need to get a court order that you can force. This means that the court can order you, or your partner, to do what the court order says. It`s also not a bad idea to do a read with your soon ex at a time before signing, so you can talk about what the rules mean to you. It may be a surprise for you to find out where you can`t see your eyes in your eyes, even if you thought you were clear! It is quite possible to design your own separation contract. It can be difficult to find the right information online, but you are smart and have some important tools available. Do you need more help to get started? Ask for a free copy of our report, The Advantages and Disadvantages of DIY Divorce, on our website, DesignYourDivorce.com, a divorce resource for women who want to write their own separation agreements and end up divorcing.

Any questions? Call our office at (757) 425-5200. You should NOT use the separation agreement if you do not know where your spouse is or if your spouse refuses to consent. Instead, the best way to use a separation agreement is where both spouses have had a mutual understanding of how they wish to manage the „business“ of separation. Both spouses must sign the agreement. If people disagree on what an agreement says, they have to go to court and a judge interprets it. This is not ideal for a number of reasons. On the one hand, it costs money. On the other hand, the judge couldn`t side with you! The best way to make sure your agreement says what you think is to write clearly and concisely. Rewrite and rewrite your sentences until you do it correctly. Let a neutral third party read and tell you what a particular provision considers to be a particular destination. If you and your husband are cordial, talk to each other while you conceive.

Make sure you both think in the same direction. It`s certainly a good time. In the absence of a separation agreement, one spouse may continue to be responsible for another spouse`s spending habits on their common credit card. Similarly, marital and common property can be mismanaged or depleted if the couple does not originally think about how everything should be distributed equitably among them.