How Can My Spouse and I Successfully Live Together During Our California Divorce Proceedings?
As challenging as 2020 has been so far, getting divorced during a pandemic may be increasingly complex compared to a time when we were free to move about the court system unimpeded by closures, scheduling backlogs, social distancing, and mask requirements.
Once divorce documents have been filed, it is not a forgone conclusion that one person moves out of the family home. The truth is, filing for a divorce in California is just the beginning of a potentially lengthy legal process — even without the delays COVID-19 presents.
When spouses could file for divorce and quickly move from their marital home into a temporary space — possibly staying with a friend or family member, or a short-term rental while the divorce details are determined — the coronavirus has limited some of those options.
Even before the quarantine was a household word, some simply do not have the financial stability to move, while others may stay to try and minimize any emotional distress the divorce may cause their children.
No matter the personal circumstances that have led to you and your spouse sharing a home during your divorce proceedings, our San Bernardino Family Law lawyer has a few tips on making living separately (under the same roof) work.
Tips for Living In the Same` Home During a California Divorce
Although living in the same home during a divorce is not ideal, spouses should work hard to amicably create a compromise for addressing important factors that will dictate how well this arrangement works in both the short- and long-term.
Those factors can include:
- Parenting
While having both parents in the home during a divorce may provide stability for the children, it is also important to establish a parenting schedule that allows both parents to split equal time alone with the children.
At some point, one of the parents will be leaving the residence, and child custody decisions will be in place, so starting the emotional well-being and stability of shared parenting schedules may help ease the transition.
- Separate Living Spaces
To qualify for a no-fault divorce where you have cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for dissolving your marriage, it is important for the soon-to-be exes to establish separate living spaces, even if under the same roof.
This will require setting and maintaining physical boundaries that divide the home as if it were two separate living spaces.
- Household Chores
Separate living spaces for the sake of irreconcilable differences will require separate household obligations, which means you tend to your living space, and the other spouse attends to his or hers.
- Clean your own space
- Do your own laundry
- Cook for yourself
Parents can certainly have meals together when they share children, and that is only encouraged when it helps maintain a level of normalcy for the kids.
- Household Expenses
While you are finalizing the details of your divorce, the household expenses will still need to be paid in full each month until your divorce agreement is signed. You will both need to agree on those obligations and set forth the financial expectations for each to reach them.
- Personal Living Expenses
Keep all personal living expenses separate until the court can decide on temporary/permanent spousal support orders.
Contact Our San Bernardino Certified Family Law Specialist Today for a Free Consultation
If you are considering divorce and have more questions than answers, contact our San Bernardino divorce lawyer at the Law Office of Joyce Holcomb by calling (909) 889-7111 today to get the legal guidance you need to make informed decisions about your future.
