Samuel Phillips Law Blog
In less than a month the biggest shake up to divorce laws, for over half a century, shall come into force. The change aims to reduce conflict between a divorcing couple.
In the previous 12 months, owing to Covid-19 and the Stamp Duty holiday, there has been a property boom, and this appears to show no signs of stopping with the housing market remaining extremely competitive. For couples moving in together or relocating to a new family home it will no doubt be an exciting time and there will be a variety of important decisions to be made. Should we laminate or carpet the house? Which utility provider should we choose? Will the spare room be a guest room or home gym?
If you and your spouse reconcile at any time, even after the pronouncement of Decree Nisi (but before Decree Absolute) you can ask the court to cancel the Decree Nisi and dismiss the Petition. If you have a solicitor acting for you, make sure you inform them straightaway that you wish to stop the divorce.
A Decree Absolute ends your marriage but unless you have a clean break order, your ex-spouse could make financial claims against you in the future. Your ex-spouse could make a claim against assets and money you acquire after you divorce, for instance claim for a share of your bonus or inheritance or any windfall. There is no time limit for making a claim, so it could be many years before a claim is made by your ex-spouse.
It is usual for your pension fund to be treated as an asset that should be divided between you and your spouse upon divorce. This will not always happen. Particularly if you both have pension funds with a similar value.
As far as any creditors are concerned the debt belongs to the person whose name it is in. It is therefore imperative that you continue to discharge any debts in your sole name or you run the risk of a county court judgment and a poor credit rating.
If you are considering a divorce, a major concern is likely to be how you will pay for legal advice. At a time when finances are often already under considerable strain, fears about potential costs of legal fees puts many people off obtaining early legal advice.
Ideally you and the other parent will agree living and contact arrangements for your child following your separation. Usually, differences of opinion can be resolved through conversation and compromise. Try to consider what’s best for your child and put your own feelings to one side. However, if you cannot reach an agreement, then the next step would be to attend mediation.
Living in the same property after a relationship has broken down can be very difficult and in some situations not safe. What is the best course of action to take?
It is easy to assume that once you are divorced and receive your Decree Absolute, your name changes back to the name you used before you were married, however this is not the case.
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