Money should never be a weapon in a relationship. Yet, for thousands of people across the UK, financial control becomes a silent but devastating form of domestic violence. This control strips away independence, trapping individuals in unsafe environments simply because they cannot afford to leave.
relationships
Can You Change the Locks During Separation?
Going through a separation brings a heavy emotional toll. As you untangle your shared life, the spaces you once shared can suddenly feel fraught with tension. When communication breaks down, or when tensions run particularly high, you might feel a strong urge to protect your space. For many, the immediate reaction is to call a locksmith and change the locks on the matrimonial home.
Divorce is Finalised: 5 Steps to Your Financial Recovery
Holding the Decree Absolute (or Final Order) in your hand brings a complex mix of emotions. There is often relief that the legal battle is over, mixed with the exhaustion of the process. It is natural to want to close the filing cabinet on this chapter of your life...
Why do I have to pay my divorce solicitor when the marriage breakdown is all my spouse’s fault ?
Sarah was shocked to discover that her husband had been having an affair, with an entirely separate family with children, while he was away on business. She felt betrayed and angry - all the more so when her divorce lawyer explained that she would have to pay their...
Family Law Courtroom Chronicles: The Reality of Financial Orders in Divorce
#1 in a series of commentaries from the family law Courtroom. No names obviously, but a focus on the mechanics of many cases, which makes this experienced family lawyer despair of the system. FACT: Judges base their financial orders after a long marriage on the...
My husband has control of all the money -how can I challenge him in our divorce?
Eleanor was devastated when her husband of 30 years told her that he wanted a divorce. As a stay-at-home mum of four now adult children, she had been devoted to the home and family management as well as organising the inevitable social life which came with her husband...
Getting to a fair deal in divorce – even when you think that’s impossible
Everyone wants their divorce to be as painless as possible. But they also want a fair deal. How do you square that circle if you know nothing about the finances or one of you insists they have a right to more than seems fair, or the children’s needs seem to be...
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...
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...