Going Through a Divorce?

There are many things to consider when going through a divorce. Apart from the obvious emotional impact, you will be faced with changes to your living arrangements and finances.

Our family team have vast experience of helping our clients to achieve the best possible outcome and financial settlement. In this article, we aim to share our key pointers with you to help you navigate through this difficult and challenging time.

Go Prepared to your First Meeting

Gather together a summary of your financial assets, liabilities, income and outgoings so that your solicitor has a good overall picture of these from the outset. This is essential information for your solicitor but may also help you to start to focus on the road ahead.

Bring a Friend for Support

The first meeting with your solicitor is very useful and informative, but generally occurs at a time when you are finding it difficult to capture and retain all of the legal advice. You may find it helpful to bring a close friend or relative with you, not only for moral support but also so that they can help you to recall the advice afterwards.

Take Time to Focus on the Best Possible Outcome for You

It is likely that you will be given a range of options about your divorce proceedings during your initial meeting with your solicitor. Take time to find a way that works best for you. If you think that attending mediation to discuss matters with your partner would be beneficial, take this initial step. It is often tempting to rush through financial matters and accept the first proposal put forward to you. However, this may not be the best outcome for you in the long-term.

Try to Remain Amicable

Often, matters can move forward in a quicker and less destructive way if both parties can find a way to act reasonably and co-operatively, despite the fact that emotions may still be running high. Our solicitors are members of Resolution - an organisation whose members adopt a constructive, non-confrontational approach - and will encourage you to discuss matters amicably where possible.

Protect your Future Assets

There have been cases in the press recently involving ex-partners making financial claims years down the line because finances were not resolved properly at the time the parties divorced. We featured one of these, involving Mr and Mrs Wright, in our last edition of Viewpoint.

It is important to note from these that you should not fall into the trap of thinking that, because you may have minimal assets now, there is no point in drawing up an agreement.

You should take care to ensure that neither of you have any future claims against one another, because you cannot necessarily know the financial position you may be in years down the line.

For more information, please contact Sally Rushton on 0117 314 5329.

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