A divorce is a complete dissolution of the marriage. A legal separation legally divides the assets and debts of the couple, but they are still married. For more information see: https://rightlawyers.com/legal-separation-vs-divorce/
There are advantages to a legal separation. If a spouse wants to remain on the health insurance, they can with a legal separation (https://rightlawyers.com/divorce-versus-legal-separation/). Not so with a divorce. Also, a legal separation would separate the spouses’ property and debts, but the spouses would technically remain married. If spouses later feel like it wasn’t the best choice, there is a process for rescinding the legal separation so that the spouses can resume the marital relationship.
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