Free Separation Agreement Template

A Separation Agreement is a legally binding agreement used by two people in a marriage who have decided to separate while remaining legally married, or before they petition for a divorce.

This written contract defines how property, assets, bills, debts, spousal support, and other shared responsibilities, such as child custody or support, will be allocated. 

A Separation Agreement is also often referred to as: 

• Marriage Separation Agreement

• Divorce Agreement

• Marital Settlement Agreement

• Legal Separation Papers

• Separation Papers

Difference Between Separation, Legal Separation and Divorce

Ending a marriage can be a complicated matter, and there are different stages which both parties must go through to complete the process.

If you decide to live apart from your partner, while still remaining legally married, this is known as a “separation” or “trial separation”. This is an informal agreement between both spouses, and there are no judges or lawyers involved. 

If the spouses have not yet decided to divorce, a Temporary Separation Agreement can be used to set the preliminary terms for a division of property, establish the rules of your separation and the rights of each spouse.

If the couple already has the intention to divorce then they are considered to be in a “permanent separation” by the law and a Permanent Separation Agreement can be drafted.

On the other hand, a “legal separation” involves getting a court to approve your separation and to put together an official legal Separation Agreement. This requires filing a petition in family court.

While you will remain married, you won’t be able to marry anyone else until the divorce, but the financial connection you have to your spouse will be terminated. 

Finally, a “divorce” officially ends and legally dissolves a marriage. In this case, a court is required to approve this decision and draft an agreement dividing property and settling spouse rights.

There are various situations in which a Separation Agreement can be used. Whether you’re looking to legally separate from your spouse, seek a divorce, or separate informally, this legally binding document can be used to detail all aspects of a separation.  

Here are some of the most common ways in which you can use a Separation Agreement: 

• You have decided to separate with your spouse and want to determine how to divide your property and assets 

• You are ready to separate for some time and live independently from your spouse, but not yet ready to get a divorce or want to take some time before making a final decision on dissolving the marriage 

• You want to get a divorce and already know how you want to allocate your assets or other responsibilities and prefer to define this yourself rather than leave it up to the court 

• You want to permanently maintain your legal marriage status while simultaneously living separately from your spouse 

• You want to prepare an outline for the division of finances or other assets before meeting with an attorney regarding legal separation 

• You are deciding whether to do a legal separation and want to set the preliminary terms for a division of assets in advance

A Separation Agreement includes various key terms, which can differ depending on what responsibilities the married couple wants to outline.

This agreement often addresses many of the same specifications as a divorce decree, such as: 

• Division of marital assets such as property, financial accounts, insurance, business interests, and retirement accounts 

• Division of debt responsibilities 

• Spousal support, including maintenance and alimony

• Child custody, child support payments, and visitation rights 

• Allocation of costs such as health insurance and whether spouses are entitled to any specific assets 

• Responsibilities relating to marital property expenses such as utilities, insurance, and mortgage 

• Spousal benefits and who will pay for them

Writing a Separation Agreement is relatively straightforward, and it can be created by yourself at home. Nevertheless, this type of legal document must be drafted correctly to avoid either spouse challenging it further down the line.

By using LawDistrict’s step-by-step document builder, you can easily write your own Separation Agreement without a lawyer. 

However, in certain states, a Separation Agreement must also be filed with the state when seeking legal separation or divorce, in addition to being signed by both spouses. Check your state regulations for more specific information about the divorce process where you live.

In these cases, it can also sometimes be helpful to hire a lawyer to review the document and make sure it can be upheld in court.

Furthermore, a Separation Agreement must contain the following information for it to be legally valid: 

• Name and address of both spouses

• Details of the marriage 

• Beginning date of the separation 

• Statement of the intention to separate 

• Terms of use of the agreement

• Specifications regarding the division of assets and the shared financial or child responsibilities of both parties 

Living Separate and Apart Meaning

If two spouses are living separately and apart, this means they are residing in different locations without any intention to reconcile or resume a marital relationship and have the intention to divorce. Living separately and apart is also a ground for divorce.

To create your own Separation Agreement template, you will need to determine the terms of the separation with your spouse. In addition, both parties will have to be honest and open about their financial situations. 

Once you have finalized these details, you should draw up your document. This can be done easily with LawDistrict’s expert legal guidance and online builder.

With our Separation Agreement form, you can quickly create your own template which you can customize to your state’s separation laws and your particular spousal situation. 

The agreement must be in writing, and it must be signed by both parties in the presence of a witness. Once your document is prepared, depending on your state of residence and what type of separation you will be using it for, you may need to file it with a local court.

It can be difficult to complete a Separation Agreement template without first seeing a verified example. Review our sample below before you begin to get a clearer view of what a Separation Agreement looks like and to make the process of writing your own document more simple.