Inside Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner's Divorce: Couple Were in Therapy for 2 Years and ''Not Always on the Same Page'' 

It's official: Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are divorcing.

"After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce," the pair, who celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary yesterday, told E! News in a joint statement on Tuesday. "We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time."

The statement added: "This will be our only comment on this private, family matter. Thank you for understanding."

While speculation of a split has been surrounding the parents of three for some time, the news still comes as a shock to fans of the longtime Hollywood power duo. So, what went wrong between the two, who were once the picture-perfect image of an A-list romance? "Things have been very challenging for the last several months," a source tells E! News of the soon to be ex-husband and -wife, who have been dodging split rumors for some time. Until today, the insider says they were together "because of the kids," but notes that the two "have been living separate lives and preparing for this for a long time."

A second source adds that their split had nothing to do with their anniversary on Monday, saying the timing was simply a coincidence and in no way had to do with "money reasons" (California is a community property state and the length of a marriage is only relevant when determining spousal support). What's more? We're told "this is not a decision they came to lightly" and the duo has in fact been in therapy working on their marriage for two years. They have also been in a trial separation for 10 months, during which time Affleck has been staying at hotels.

We're also told that the split is "not contentious," as both parents want what's best for their children. "They will be co-parenting," a source says, adding that Ben will be living on their property in a different building. The insider also notes that their divorce will be handled by a mediator, not in court. "They grew apart. They were great parents together but they were not always on the same page."

Source: www.eonline.com