After fighting for most of the beginning part of that year, we decided it was time to split up, and possibly end our marriage. I replay that conversation often, and it still brings tears to my eyes. The day after we separated was one of the worst days of my life.

What was the decision to separate from my wife?

Marriage separation is seen more clearly through hindsight. When I separated from my wife, it was a sad and scary process. But the decision to go through with our separation was, ultimately, a smart one. That said, there have been more than a few bumps in the road I wasn’t ready for or simply didn’t see coming.

What happens if you are separated for 14 years?

Although you don’t need a court to help you with a separation, you won’t have any court orders to rely on if issues occur down the road. If you choose to separate, and your separation lasts for 14 years, it’s likely that you’ll lose communication and/or cooperation with your spouse.

Is there hope for my marriage after separation?

Another earlier study from the late eighties mentioned in the Ohio State research has shown the divorce rate for separated couples as high as 96%. When it comes to saving the marriages of separated couples, the window for reconciliation is highly time-sensitive.

Is it embarrassing to be married but separated?

Being married, but separated, is no picnic. It is, for lack of a better word, embarrassing. Really embarrassing. I struggle enough with the fact that my marriage came to an end after just a year and a half, that my husband cheated on me, and left me for a girl 28 years his junior, just two years older than his daughter from a previous marriage.

Is it legal for a couple to stay married after separating?

But apparently, his health insurance plan is better than hers, so they’re putting the brakes on their plans to get divorced for the time being. It turns out they’re far from the only couple that lives separate lives from each other, yet stays legally married indefinitely.