Separation Agreements

Separation agreements are the documents that are most frequently used by separating couples to set forth their respective rights and obligations. You may not need a separation agreement immediately upon separating, but the separation process is often less expensive and less adversarial when clients are able to reach an agreement before they separate. After separation, the existence of an agreement can affect your income tax filing status, the inclusion or deductibility of spousal support for income tax purposes, and your rights to inherit property from your spouse.

The separation agreement can resolve everything from child custody to child support to property distribution to payment of debts to life insurance and college expenses. Separation agreements can create temporary or permanent resolutions of all or some of the above issues. Partial separation agreements can reserve certain issues for resolution in court or through mediation. The issues resolved in the agreements depends on the willingness of the parties, the creativity of their attorneys, and the needs of the parties.