Massachusetts Legal Separation Agreement
Massachusetts does not recognize legal separation as a status; a spouse with justifiable cause for living apart may seek separate support under M.G.L. c. 209 s. 32, which does not end the marriage. Attorney review available.
Find out where you stand in Massachusetts
DocDraft provides document preparation, not legal advice.
Introduction
Massachusetts does not recognize legal separation as a marital status. There is no decree that makes a couple legally separated. What Massachusetts offers instead is an action for separate support: if a spouse fails without justifiable cause to provide suitable support, or deserts the other spouse, or if a married person has justifiable cause for living apart, the Probate and Family Court may order support and address custody and maintenance of minor children (M.G.L. c. 209, s. 32). A separate-support judgment lets a spouse live apart with court-ordered support while the couple stays legally married, so neither may remarry; the marriage ends only through a divorce. A separate-support action is narrower than a divorce in one important way: the full equitable division of the marital estate is a divorce remedy under M.G.L. c. 208, s. 34, so a separate-support case focuses on support and custody rather than a final split of all assets. For that reason a written separation agreement is what actually settles the couple's finances and parenting while they live apart, and the court can consider and adopt it. Couples choose to live apart under separate support rather than divorce to keep a spouse on health insurance, to reach the ten-year mark for certain military and Social Security spousal benefits, for religious reasons, or as a trial step before deciding to divorce. Because the detailed division of property belongs to a divorce, those terms are set out in a Massachusetts Marital Settlement Agreement rather than repeated here; if you decide to end the marriage, the complaint that starts it is a Massachusetts Divorce Petition. DocDraft builds your Massachusetts separation agreement from your facts, with attorney review available before you sign.
Key Things to Know
- 1
Massachusetts does not recognize legal separation as a marital status. There is no decree that makes a couple legally separated; instead the state offers an action for separate support (M.G.L. c. 209, s. 32).
- 2
Under M.G.L. c. 209, s. 32 the Probate and Family Court may order support and address custody when a spouse fails without justifiable cause to provide support, deserts the other spouse, or a married person has justifiable cause for living apart.
- 3
A Massachusetts separate-support judgment does not end the marriage. The couple stays legally married and neither may remarry; the marriage ends only through a divorce.
- 4
A separate-support action is narrower than a divorce: the full equitable division of the marital estate is a divorce remedy under M.G.L. c. 208, s. 34, so separate support focuses on support and custody, not a final split of all assets.
- 5
A written separation agreement is what settles the couple's finances and parenting while they live apart in Massachusetts, and the court can consider and adopt it.
- 6
Couples live apart under separate support rather than divorce to keep a spouse on health insurance, to reach the ten-year mark for certain military and Social Security benefits, for religious reasons, or as a trial step before deciding to divorce.
- 7
Because the detailed division of property belongs to a divorce, those terms are set out in a Massachusetts marital settlement agreement rather than the separation itself; see the Massachusetts marital settlement agreement page.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Legal Separation Agreement in Massachusetts, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Legal Separation Agreement guide walks through them.
Open the Legal Separation Agreement guideCustomize your Legal Separation Agreement Template with DocDraft
Massachusetts Requirements for Legal Separation Agreement
No Legal-Separation Status
Massachusetts does not recognize legal separation as a marital status. There is no decree that makes a couple legally separated; the state offers an action for separate support instead (M.G.L. c. 209, s. 32).
Separate Support Under c. 209 s. 32
Under M.G.L. c. 209, s. 32 the Probate and Family Court may order support and address custody when a spouse fails without justifiable cause to provide support, deserts the other spouse, or a married person has justifiable cause for living apart.
Marriage Is Not Ended
A Massachusetts separate-support judgment does not end the marriage. The couple stays legally married and neither may remarry; the marriage ends only through a divorce.
Property Division Is a Divorce Remedy
The full equitable division of the marital estate is a divorce remedy under M.G.L. c. 208, s. 34, not part of a separate-support action. Separate support focuses on support and custody, not a final split of all assets.
A Written Agreement Settles the Terms
A written separation agreement is what settles the couple's finances and parenting while they live apart in Massachusetts. It is a contract that does not change marital status, and the court can consider and adopt it.
Keep Property Terms in a Settlement Agreement
Because the detailed division of property belongs to a divorce, set those terms out in a Massachusetts marital settlement agreement rather than in the separation itself.
Reasons to Separate Without Divorcing
Living apart under separate support keeps the marriage in place, which can preserve a spouse's health insurance, help reach the ten-year mark for certain military and Social Security benefits, or serve religious or trial-step reasons. Confirm insurance effects with the plan, since many treat a separation like a divorce.
Path to a Later Divorce
A Massachusetts couple that later decides to end the marriage files for divorce, at which point the court can divide the marital estate under M.G.L. c. 208, s. 34. A separate-support action or a written agreement does not have to be undone first; it simply carries into the divorce.