Gots to have lots of money for an annulment.
Think again. Its pretty cheap these days.
Costs about $300-$400.
The Church only asks for it if they think you can pay it.
$500.00 is that a lot?
An annulment costs just the filing fees, and amounts to no more than a couple of hundred dollars in most cases. If you are in a situation that is dubious, where the reasons for annulment are not clear cut and you are denied the annulment, you can hire your own canon lawyer in the review process, which could be costly. But the basic fees for administrative costs and document production, etc. are not very high, and can be waived in cases of necessity. Compared to what people pay for a civil divorce - which can be many thousands of dollars - an annulment is practically free.
The annulment is slower than a divorce because more consideration is given to it and in addition, the Church does not wish to make annulment something perceived, like divorce, as a speedy solution to something that could possibly be resolved some other way; nonetheless, it usually takes under two years.
And the children aren’t considered bastards.