#Collaborative post
Divorce is rarely an easy thing to go through. If you’re a woman who is considering initiating a divorce, you’re going to need a few practical tips so that you feel prepared to handle the process.
What’s the UK’s divorce rate?
According to government statistics, 113,505 divorces were granted across England and Wales in 2021. This was a 9.6% increase from the year prior when family court proceedings were disrupted by the outbreak of COVID-19.
Why is divorce a challenging matter?
Divorce is challenging for all parties, with a whole range of emotional and economical factors coming into the mix.
Children, property, and finances make up a large chunk of the factors that will need to be considered.
Research conducted using data from 45 countries across a four-decade period shows that in heterosexual relationships, women are more likely to be the lower earners. Women who find themselves in these circumstances may find themselves with an extra layer of economical concern.
How to prepare for divorce
When you’re sure of your decision, you’ll need to find a divorce and family lawyer to guide you through the legal process. Some of the issues you may need to work through with them include:
- Deciding what will happen with your home
If you’re joint tenants and you both want to leave, it’s a good idea to give notice to your landlord if you can. If the tenancy doesn’t end any time soon, you can “surrender your tenancy,” asking to end it early.
If you’re an occupant, you won’t have the same rights. You may be expected to continue paying rent if you move out and should look into arrangements you can make for paying it.
If you own a home jointly, you will need to check what kind of joint ownership you must find out what your rights are. If you can’t agree, your solicitor may suggest mediation.
- Dividing your money
If possible, it’s good to work out how you could divide the money with your spouse or civil partner before going to the solicitor.
You’ll first need to work out how much you’ve got in bank or building society accounts, savings or investments. Any debts you have built up through credit cards or loans will also need to be factored in.
If you don’t think you’ll have enough money after your separation, you can ask for “spousal maintenance” from your ex-spouse. This could be arranged between yourselves.
It may be possible that you need a court order for financial support, also known as “ancillary relief”. This is typically the way forward if you cannot agree on how to divide finances up. They will decide on how to divide pensions, property, savings and investments.
- Child maintenance
Both parents are considered responsible for the cost of looking after any children after a divorce. It’s good to discuss it between the two of you, before taking it to a solicitor.
The parent who moves out will be required to pay a certain amount of child maintenance for the child’s upbringing. A child maintenance agreement will be required if you have any children who are under 16. This will also be required for children who are under the age of 20, if in full-time education still.
It’s usually more economical to work out as many arrangements as you can with your spouse or civil partner before you start the formal process. Understandably though, this isn’t always possible. The right solicitor can help guide you along the process at this difficult time of your life.