Family Law Blog : Finances

Gordon Gecko said in the film Wall Street “The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed – for lack of a better word – is good.” I’m not sure I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment but it does make me think about my role as a family law solicitor and…

Agreeing the content of a divorce settlement can often be a challenge and it’s our job as family law solicitors to make sure that our clients come to a financial agreement that serves their interests and is agreed by the other party. To do this it’s important to have full…

Divorce does not bring an end to any financial claims between a married couple – as has been amply demonstrated in the recently reported case of Vince v Wyatt. As family lawyers we speak almost daily to clients who believe that “divorce proceedings” means bringing an end to a marriage,…

The papers have been full of commentary on the family case heard by the Court of Appeal recently, in which Tracey Wright, the ex wife of a highly paid horse surgeon, was told very firmly that rather than expecting to receive substantial on-going maintenance from her former husband she should…

When it comes to divorce settlement hearings the role of the judge might come as a surprise to some. Their job, first and foremost, is to help people reach an agreement. Only if the parties are intransigent will they actually make a judgement. This was brought home when I recently…

There is all sorts of advice bandied around for those embarking on a divorce but what is the key thing divorce lawyers would say if they were asked for advice by a friend? Divorce Advice to a Friend – Video Decent divorce advice can be hard to come by. Divorce…

A High Court judge has warned against having a relationship while still fighting over the matrimonial money. Does his ruling signal a new approach by the courts? In a written ruling, Mr Justice Mostyn said dating before divorce was a “fly in the ointment” for family court judges asked to…

If one party in divorce proceedings feels they need financial support from the other, even before a full financial claim is settled or the divorce decree obtained it is possible to make an application to the court for something called ‘Maintenance Pending Suit.’ As this is quite a complicated legal…

Divorce ends a marriage completely, right? Well, it is the legal ending of a marriage but it’s not the legal severance of financial ties, for that you need a clean break. Having practised in divorce and family law for 20 years, the one aspect of my job which never ceases…

I will often speak with a new client who says they have “reached an agreement” with their spouse in relation to how their assets should be divided on separation or divorce. I am told that they both accept that their marriage has broken down and have sat down together to…

It is a sad fact that however much two adults are hurt during a separation, invariably the children are hit even harder. As divorce solicitors, we hear a lot of their stories and it is always heart-breaking. It is something very private and personal so it was very brave of…

Usually, when you get married or move in together, there are many things on your mind other than safeguarding your wealth for the long-term. If you are getting married, there will be so much to organise and so many exciting things going on, that it often just isn’t on the…