Marriages and divorces seem to be full of documents, contracts and formal arrangements. This is usually to uphold the legality of any agreements or marital details, and when divorce is contemplated, most couples will usually create some sort of marriage separation agreement. While this is not necessarily a requirement of the divorce process (state laws vary widely) it is a way to formalize financial and custodial arrangements during divorce proceedings or times of severe marital discord. Consider that not all couples who legally separate end up divorced, but during the time that they are not living together or raising their children as a team, arrangements must be in place to deal with money, visitation and even insurance. For instance, a couple who is contemplating divorce and even making some initial arrangements for it might draft a marriage separation agreement to establish some support payments, handle financial issues such as debt, and also even include the custodial details of the family dog.