Stuck in splitsville!
Apr 14th, 2009 by Adrienne Keith
The May 2009 issue of “O” magazine features a short story entitled “Divorce, Interrupted”. Print media has caught up with electronic media in reporting that the current economic climate is affecting couple’s decisions to separate. 
The piece, which offers advice for couples “stuck together in splitsville” offers a new term for the new economic challenge: live-in separation. (From a legal perspective, it is possible for a marriage to reach the legal standard of being “irretrievably broken” even if spouses are sharing a residence, and so couples who find themselves in a live-in separation stage aren’t seen as prolonging the marriage.)
As a mediator, I was happy to see the suggestion of Susie Duffy, and Organize marriage and family therapist. She said “I advise bringing in a neutral third party, such as a mediator, right away to reduce animosity and set ground rules for daily life.” She points out that new agreements on how to divide responsibility and space can be practice for divorce later down the road.
Financially, options range from closing shared accounts to determining what each partner will contribute to a shared account to a reimbusement system. Atlanta finaicial analyst Lisa Decker recommends closing any joint credit accounts and freezing any home equity lines of credit. Good recommendations, Lisa!
Psychologically, even if you know that your separation situation will be a “live in” one, you can still start making a plan to get through this time. To quote Nancy Molitor, PhD, “you won’t be in it forever”. There is life after divorce (or separation). There is a road out of Splitsville.