FL - sharing domicile during dissolution process and after

[carrieinfl]

What is the name of your state? FL

I am going to be divorcing my husband. I'm pretty sure we are both going to want to continue to live in our house during the divorce process for both our children's sake and for financial reasons. I would be amenable, with the proper guidelines, to continue living together in the same domicile after the divorce for the same reasons - the real estate market truly bites here and it will probably take a year to sell our house. Without the proceeds from the house, neither one of us can afford to move out.

Is this doable in the state of FL, legally, and what sort of terms/guidelines should we have in writing? I am sure we should address which one of us would pay rent to the other, who is responsbile for the mortgage and all that kind of thing... What else?

Any obvious pros/cons that perhaps I haven't thought of? Have any of you tried this and how has it worked out?

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by carrieinfl

What is the name of your state? FL

I am going to be divorcing my husband. I'm pretty sure we are both going to want to continue to live in our house during the divorce process for both our children's sake and for financial reasons. I would be amenable, with the proper guidelines, to continue living together in the same domicile after the divorce for the same reasons - the real estate market truly bites here and it will probably take a year to sell our house. Without the proceeds from the house, neither one of us can afford to move out.

Is this doable in the state of FL, legally, and what sort of terms/guidelines should we have in writing? I am sure we should address which one of us would pay rent to the other, who is responsbile for the mortgage and all that kind of thing... What else?

Any obvious pros/cons that perhaps I haven't thought of? Have any of you tried this and how has it worked out?

The obvious cons are that you both can't really move on with your lives if you are sharing a home, and that it might not be pleasant for either of you or either of your children. It also may raise unreasonable expectations in the minds of your children. Children in a divorce situation often fantasize about their parents getting back together. If you remain in the same home after the divorce is final, it may be harder for them to accept.

The pros are if you can at least be civil with each other, if not reasonable friendly, it would be at lot easier on everyone, financially. You would simply split the mortgage and utilities, the way that roommates would split the same. If you can somehow split the house into his and hers areas, that would help make things clearer to your kids.