The Family Home
For many couples, the family home is their largest financial asset.
Common questions include:
- Will the property need to be sold?
- Can one spouse remain in the home?
- Can ownership be transferred?
- Who will continue paying the mortgage?
- What happens if the property is held in one person’s name?
- How will children’s housing needs be considered?
There is no single outcome that applies automatically to every divorce.
Possible arrangements can include:
- Selling the property
- Transferring ownership
- Refinancing
- One spouse remaining in the home
- Offsetting property value against pensions or other assets
Our Leicester divorce solicitors can advise on the family home as part of your wider financial settlement.
Savings and Investments
Financial assets can include:
- Bank savings
- ISAs
- Shares
- Bonds
- Investment funds
- Managed portfolios
- Employee share schemes
- Other investments
Full financial disclosure can help establish the overall asset position before negotiations progress.
Pensions
Pensions can represent a substantial proportion of family wealth, particularly following a longer marriage.
They should not be overlooked simply because pension benefits may not be immediately accessible.
Relevant arrangements may include:
- Workplace pensions
- Personal pensions
- Defined benefit pensions
- Defined contribution schemes
- Executive pensions
- Other retirement benefits
Complex pension arrangements may require specialist pension or actuarial advice.
Business Assets
A divorce can become more complicated where one or both spouses own a business or hold shares in a company.
Relevant issues may include:
- Limited companies
- Partnerships
- Family businesses
- Private company shares
- Commercial premises
- Director remuneration
- Dividends
- Retained profits
- Business valuations
Where value is disputed or significant, independent valuation evidence may sometimes be required.
Spousal Maintenance
Some financial settlements involve ongoing payments from one former spouse to another.
Whether maintenance is appropriate depends on the individual circumstances, including:
- Income
- Financial needs
- Earning capacity
- Housing requirements
- Other available resources
- The wider financial settlement
Our solicitors can explain how maintenance may fit into the overall settlement.
Consent Orders
Where you and your former spouse reach agreement concerning your finances, a consent order can formally record the terms.
It can address matters such as:
- Property
- Pensions
- Savings
- Investments
- Maintenance
A court-approved consent order provides a legally binding framework for the agreed financial settlement.