I'm in the UK and I have filed for legal separation because we sold our marital home and I wanted our kids to be financially secure.
Here is what my solicitor told me:
Legal separation isn't like divorce and it can be challenge at a later date by either party but the judge, in case of divorce, will question why one of you suddenly decides to challenge a separation agreement and the financial settlement. My solicitor said that if me or ex were tonchallenge it the judge would be very suspicious and quite rightly so.
My legal separation (finances, child maintenance, child access, inheritance, properties and pension) is as tight as possible (even ex solicitor requested that it's final and can't be challenged in court, I guess my ex forgot to tell him that he cheated on me!). I have filed and solicitor told me that it should only take 4 to 6 months because of the legal separation agreement. It has been in place for nearly two years now and it works fine.
The only down side is that it cost as much as a divorce. My solicitor told me to make it very tight with my pension. I have a very good one and ex has none meaning that even if we are divorced he could still claim 40% of it when I retired. I know this isn't what you want to hear but look after yourself financially, put aside any feelings as whatever you decide could mean a descent life or a not so descent one.
