Recent News & Insight
Family Law news and other Social Media content from Penny & Mike.
Possession is not 9/10 of the law in divorce!
You do not automatically lose your rights over the family home if you move out. Particularly where property is owned by both or either of you, your name on the title, or a matrimonial home rights notice registered at the Land Registry, will protect your position until...
Limited companies do not ring fence invested assets in divorce!
The family court will look at all assets, including the realisable income and capital value of any investment in a limited company when deciding upon a financial order in divorce proceedings. But the valuation must be fair and is best assessed by a neutral accountant....
Doing the Deal in Divorce
Getting the best result for clients in divorce finance cases is not about choosing negotiation OR court proceedings. It can be about using both to force clear and comprehensive disclosure of finances, on a timetable set by the court, at the same time as negotiating...
Deciding to retire early – how does that affect pensions in divorce cases?
Let's look at 2 hypothetical cases. Mr and Mrs Smith decided not to invest in pensions. They bought Buy to Let properties as investments for their retirement, and at the date of their separation, these were worth a net equity of £750,000. Mr and Mrs Jones invested...
More babies born to unwed parents for first time EVER as Stacey Solomon leads growing trend
Cohabitees do not have the same rights as married parties. In particular, there is no right to maintenance or capital for the unmarried parent with care of a young child, just child maintenance at the statutory rates and possibly capital to provide accommodation until...
“What are the main reasons for divorce in retirement?”
Married life typically goes in stages :- before children, with children, empty nest, retirement. Any new stage requires a reorganisation of the relationship and can lead to breakdown. The introduction of pension sharing in divorce has made it more possible for wives...
Woman divorces husband because he ‘never made me tea’
So many relationships end on a minor complaint like this – but a little enquiry usually reveals years of problems. No-fault divorce means that lists of allegations are no longer necessary, and allows both to put past disagreements aside and get down to making a fair...
“Prenups: Not Just for Celebrities Anymore”
Prenups are becoming much more common, and reflect the increasing willingness of younger partners to consider the financial ramifications of the legal contract of marriage. Disclosure of finances can still be a problem – without which it is very unlikely that a prenup...
“More men than women have thought about divorcing their partner in 2023”
In 2021, 63.1% of divorces were initiated by women, according to the Office of National Statistics. And yet this study suggests that men are more likely to think about it. Very interesting – why are the women more decisive? Is it because they have greater problems...