Determining Where To Live While A Divorce Is Ongoing
The choice of living in your marital home or elsewhere during a divorce is not a simple one. It can set the tone of the divorce and even influence who gets to keep the marital home. That is why you should consult with a divorce lawyer and answer these questions first before deciding where to live when your divorce is underway:
Do You Relate Well With Each Other?
One of the first things to asses is how well you get along with each other: can you hold normal conversations, or does one or both of you intentionally hurt the other? Certainly, you should not continue living in your marital home if your partner is abusing you or if you think your partner can assault or abuse you in any way. In such a case, you can even seek help from the authorities to protect you from your partner or seek shelter for abuse victims to prevent further problems. However, you may continue living in the house if you have decided to divorce but you still get along with each other.
How Big Is Your Marital Home?
Even if you can tolerate living with your partner in the same house while going through a divorce, it won't be easy to do it if you have a tiny home. In a bachelor pad or a one-bedroom house, for example, it may not be easy to coexist, especially if the divorce is taking a long time. However, in a big house, you may be able to divide the rooms or pick one bedroom each so that each of you gets their individual space.
Do You Have Children?
If you have children, then you also have to factor in their welfare when making a decision about where to live. For example, it is always best to allow the children to continue with their lives uninterrupted when going through a divorce. Uprooting the children may cause them much anxiety. Therefore, if you cannot coexist peacefully during the divorce period, it's advisable for the custodial parent to remain in the marital home with the kids so that they can continue with their normal lives.
How Are Your Finances?
Lastly, this decision will also be influenced by the state of your finances. For example, can you afford to live elsewhere? If you don't have adequate assets, it may be wise to continue living in the same household with your spouse until the divorce is over. Of course, this advice only applies if you can get along with each other.
