Financial Settlements

Our family team are experienced in advising clients on achieving fair and reasonable financial settlements at divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership.

If you are approaching a divorce, it’s important to remember that the divorce itself is a legal separation only – it does not address your finances, including any pension entitlements, ownership of your home, residence, or provision for your children. These are all dealt with separately through court orders and are most commonly the area where separating couples fall into dispute. So, it’s important that you take expert legal advice to ensure that you understand your rights and entitlements and are in the best position to negotiate the right agreement regarding the family home, your finances and any family business interests. Where matters are agreed, we may be able to offer you a fixed-price solution.

Our experienced divorce and family lawyers can help. We will advise on whether a ‘Clean Break’ is right for you or whether the divorce settlement should provide for ongoing maintenance.

Where you and your former partner are unable to agree on terms, it may become necessary to start Court proceedings. This can seem a frightening prospect, and it’s worth remembering that judges have very wide discretion over what is ‘fair and reasonable’. Our divorce and family lawyers have decades of experience in these matters and of the particular issues that some rural, farming and land-owning families encounter. We will guide you through the process, from beginning the case, through preliminary hearings and on to any final hearing. Whatever the circumstances, our aim will always be to reach a settlement as soon as we can.

We can also help and advise about concerns over child maintenance, either through a private arrangement or through the Child Support Agency. It’s important when thinking about such issues that maintenance could include consideration of school fees and other financial provision for your children.

Speak confidentially to one of our divorce and family lawyers for guidance about the best path for you, by calling us now on 01726 874 700 or email divorce@coodes.co.uk.