Jeannette Lofas and her husband. Screenshot courtesy of NBC Miami.

Some married couples are finding that living apart is the key to happiness, according to this news article and video segment from CBS Miami.

For instance New York City social worker Jeannette Lofas, PhD, LCSW, lives about 20 miles away from her husband of 10 years. They get together on weekends.

“It’s more of a celebration when he comes,” she said.

More than 1.7 million married couples in the United States live apart, according to the Census Bureau. That number is rising, experts claim.

Lofas, who is an expert on blended families, said the arrangement is especially beneficial to people who may be entering second marriages and have children.

“Who comes first is a big issue in a remarriage with kids . When you’re in separate houses, you can decide the order of things,” she said.

However, a big issue in deciding whether to live apart after marriage is whether the couple can afford it. And experts recommend young couples just starting out live together.

Social workers help clients build better relationships with others. To learn more visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” Relationships website.