Breaking up is hard to do — especially when there are issues that make just picking up and starting over somewhere new difficult. Maybe you and your spouse just bought a new home before your marriage crumbled and selling it without going broke is proving difficult. Maybe the economy in your area is a bit shaky and it doesn’t make sense (right now) for either of you to move out.
Can you live together after a divorce? Sure. Should you live together after a divorce? Only you and your ex-spouse can make that decision. It will usually take a lot of clearly set boundaries, good communication and a generally willing spirit to make that kind of situation work.
You also have to look at several different legal issues related to your divorce and post-divorce life that may need to be handled differently. Here are a few things to consider:
- If you continue to live together due to one spouse’s economic situation, will that factor into any spousal support payments?
- How will child support be handled? Will this change the amount of child support the more affluent spouse is expected to pay?
- How will the household bills be divided? What about maintenance and repairs that fall outside of the regular monthly bills? How will taxes be handled?
- How will each spouse maintain their parenting time? What boundaries need to be established?
- How will any increase in equity in the home be handled when you do decide to part ways?
Some people genuinely find this kind of arrangement with an ex to be workable and satisfying — but it definitely isn’t for everyone. If you’re considering this, have a long talk with an experienced family law attorney about your options.