St. Louis County & Midwest Family Law Blog

Like most states, Missouri divorce law allows couples to pursue a legal separation instead of terminating a marriage outright. Considered an alternative to divorce, the legal term for separation in the state is separate maintenance action. In many cases, couples may choose to pursue this alternative in the hopes of repairing any damage their relationship has suffered.

Some of the main reasons a couple may seek to separate legally rather than divorcing include the following.

• It may make better financial sense to separate instead of getting a divorce
• The couple suffers with significant religious differences
• Parents may choose separation to protect the best interests of their kids
• The couple wishes to continue working towards reconciliation

You love your children, and you want to make sure you get plenty of time with them. At the same time, you know that your ex-spouse is a good person and also deserves a chance to be with your kids. So, you both have had discussions about how to split custody.

Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, neither of you can decide on the best way to divide custody. You have similar work schedules, and you both have similar preferences for the days of the week that you'd want to have custody. What can you do?

While there might be a perception that all divorces are contentious with the parties squabbling or outright fighting over every aspect of the case, there are some situations where there is relative stability and the couple can negotiate and agree on many issues. This can be useful to expedite the process and keep it civil or even friendly. A collaborative divorce seeks common ground so the case can be settled with as little rancor as possible. The sides will discuss the facts of the case and find areas where they can agree. A key to a collaborative divorce is to have legal advice.

In a collaborative divorce, it can be especially beneficial for child-related issues. Custody, visitation and support are often the foundation for disagreement. If the people can look at the child's best interests and see things from the perspective of the other side, it can be useful to settle the case amicably. It can also be an effective method to address property disputes, spousal support and more. Rather than go to court in a contested divorce or even an uncontested divorce, the sides will meet and express their goals and desires. If there is common ground, a settlement is possible.

Although there are many types of retirement plans out there, many if not most people in the Saint Louis area have what is called a defined contribution plan like their employer's 401(k) plan.

As the name implies, an employee is free to make contributions into an investment fund that, in theory, will yield a return at a generous rate. These contributions have tax advantages and, in many cases, get partially matched dollar for dollar, up to a certain percentage of one's salary, by the employer.