Finances on Divorce or Separation

There can be questions about what will happen to the family home: will it have to be sold or who will live in; if it has to be sold what will happen to proceeds; where will I live? These are all common questions. 

Pensions, businesses, savings and investments bring with them their own complexities within a financial settlement and questions about whether you or your partner might have an interest in them, how they should be valued and what does that mean for you.

Issues about maintenance for children or a former partner need careful consideration. Debts too can bring with them their own complications; they might have an impact on the home, family income or other assets.

Financial settlement depending on whether you are married/in a civil partnership or unmarried/co-habiting makes a big difference to the way the law treats you. Very often we find that people have misconceptions about what they may or not be entitled to. Sometimes they do not take advice until it is too late with the result that they receive less than they are entitled to. Further information about financial settlements in marriages or civil partnerships can be found by following this link.

These issues can be life changing. It is important to get good sensible legal advice. We at Higgins Miller Solicitors can help you through the process and work for you to get the best financial settlement for you. All our solicitors are members of Resolution. We will give you good, honest and realistic advice. We will work with you to make sure that the costs that you incur are proportionate to the issues in your case and that the money that you spend is not wasted on pointless arguments.

Very often financial issues upon separation can be resolved by agreement whether that is agreed directly between you and your partner, through mediation or by negotiations through solicitors. Before any negotiations take place it is important that you are confident that you know the full extent of the family and your partner’s assets and have obtained advice about what you may be entitled to. If a financial settlement agreement is reached it is important that it is fair and that it is properly recorded to ensure that it is enforceable.

Where matters cannot be resolved by agreement and there are court proceedings it is important to have good, sound and reliable legal advice and representation.

Whatever your situation we at Higgins Miller Solicitors can help you. If you are thinking about ending a relationship or have just come out of a relationship our initial fixed fee one hour interview is ideally suited to provide you with initial advice and give you an indication of what you might be entitled to and the steps that you might need to take.

If you and your former partner are discussing your situation or if you are going through mediation and want some advice about the issues or some proposals that have been put we can advise you about that and whether what has been proposed is fair. If an agreement is reached we can help you make that binding and enforceable.

In situations where you and your former partner cannot reach an agreement we can represent you, to achieve full disclosure of your former partners financial affairs and achieve the best financial settlement for you whether by negotiation or court proceedings.

We will work with you to ensure that you have the best information possible about what any steps might cost you, we offer fixed fees and, where you are eligible, Legal Aid.

Contact us on 0161 429 7251 to arrange a meeting with one of our specialist solicitors.