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Divorce Firm Launches WhatsApp Service
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The UK’s MOST Innovative Divorce Firm Launches WhatsApp Service and Promises 24/7 Communication for Clients

Published on
Chris Sweetman
Chris Sweetman,
Director
Fair Results

Lack of communication is a common criticism on Reddit( r/divorce subreddit )from clients dealing with divorce lawyers, and they can often be left feeling in the dark and let down. Clients can often find that they can’t get in touch with their solicitor at a time that is convenient for them, certain costs are kept hidden and often not given a clear answer to their questions or concern. This can often result in unnecessary delays.

u/shouldievenbehere2 on the Divorce subreddit Reddit posted “My lawyer missed an email and realized 2 weeks later. Now when she sent the draft to me, I told her it’s fine to send back (on the same day) so they can send it on DocuSign asap. It’s been 3 days and my lawyer still hasn’t responded to me or replied to opposing counsel. I’m at my wits end, she has been very inconsistent with her communication throughout this whole process and now when things are coming to an end and there’s literally the easiest task to do she does not respond.”

Fair Result is looking to completely change this by creating a WhatsApp service unique to their client’s case, ensuring 24/7 access with a promise of same-day responses.

Our constant aim is to speed up divorce negotiations, create certainty with fees and ensure parties and clients engaging with the solicitors in divorce and final settlement hearings receive an effective clear and transparent service from the lawyers they engage to deal with their case.

Find out more about our WhatsApp service here

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About Chris Sweetman

Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results, an authorised and regulated solicitor with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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The UK's Most Innovative Divorce Firm Scoop Second Award This Month
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The UK’s Most Innovative Divorce Firm Scoops Second Award

Published on
Chris Sweetman
Chris Sweetman,
Director
Fair Results

Fixed fee divorce firm Fair Result has been recognised as the Best Divorce and Financial Settlement Company by Acquisition International and The World Finance Awards.

This is their second award obtained in June, they were also recently awarded by SME Legal News as the UK’s Most innovative Divorce and Family Law Firm.

The World Finance Awards chose their winners last week. The awards have been shining a light on achievements within the finance industry since 2013, they welcome nominations from all areas of the finance industry to guarantee that the most deserving walk away with one of their respected awards.

Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Result Commented:

“We are ecstatic about our recent achievements, our primary objective at Fair Result is to be completely unique and help our clients to reach a fair and equitable financial settlement, whilst reducing the stress and unexpected costs that can arise during the divorce process. Being recognised twice in such a short space of time conveys that our unique approach is successfully challenging the status co of the divorce process”

Find out more on Fair Result’s recent achievements here!

Fair Result Limited are divorce specialists with a totally unique offering. With over 70 years of experience in commercial negotiation, finance, and law they start at the end. With a simple approach to the divorce process, the Leicestershire-based company aim to deliver fair and equitable solutions to all parties involved.

Click here for more articles from Fair Results

About Chris Sweetman

Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results, an authorised and regulated solicitor with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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important financial considerations post-divorce
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The 3 MOST important financial considerations post-divorce

Published on
Chris Sweetman
Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results

The no-fault divorce law landed recently in the UK; divorce lawyers are expecting an influx of applications now there is no requirement to place the blame on either party.

Separating from a partner could have a big impact on your finances, especially if you have relied on their income during your marriage. Innovative divorce firm Fair Result has provided us with the 3 MOST important financial considerations that need to be made following divorce.

Spousal & Child Maintenance

The first thing to consider is whether you must pay spousal maintenance or whether you will be receiving spousal maintenance; whether you pay or receive any child maintenance. This will have a very significant impact on your disposable income in the immediate aftermath of divorce and separation.

It’s important that when you embark on your new single life you take account of outgoings or income from that previous relationship as it will materially affect how you move forward. Budget Wisely.

Preparing for your future

Once you have reached your financial agreement in divorce and the consent order is signed sealed and approved by the court you are free to move on. Although, think carefully about your relationship with money after divorce, because you probably already halved your existing hard-earned savings. Divorce and financial settlements are often very expensive where one marital pot is divided into 2.

You will want to move on with life and start creating happy memories again.

If you are unsure about your relationship with money after divorce and want some advice about the possibility of a prenuptial agreement if you are considering re-marrying after divorce.

There are many things that can be looked at to give you security. For instance, a living together agreement which will set out how the new relationship will finance itself. Not exciting or even romantic at the start of any new journey but it may save you a lot of heartache and many thousands of pounds if the relationship doesn’t survive.

New Relationships

The next thing to consider is whether you’re going to embark on a new relationship and how soon the question of money should be brought up in any new relationship.

In any new relationship, the excitement and adrenaline rush of the moment where is the possibility of hope and security for the future, the question of money will always be at the back of the mind.

But how early in that relationship should you talk about money. It’s not the most appropriate question to ask on a first or second date ‘what’s your credit score?’ Conversely, if the relationship is going well, you don’t suddenly want to find out that your new partner is still paying off £50,000 of credit card bills from a previous relationship.

So, when is the right time to discuss finances? There is no hard and fast rule. Yes, at some stage you’re going to have to have that conversation with any new partner. Otherwise, you risk a potential relationship disaster – finding out about huge debts can put a serious strain on any new developing relationship.

Use your intuition to get an inkling about how compatible you and your new love are when it comes to the question of cash.

Look at the way your new partner treats you for example do you go fine dining or does he always choose a pizza joint when it’s their turn to pay. Is it cocktails in the hottest bar in town or a few beers in a quiet hideaway? Is the car the latest Hot Wheels or is your new partner driving a safe average reliable vehicle? All these things will give you some idea of your new partner’s financial position and what’s likely to be the future for you moving on.

At some stage, there will have to be a discussion of finance to establish your new relationship with money after divorce. Find a good time to talk and put your cards on the table. Be honest with your new partner and be open to your new partner’s feelings.

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About Chris Sweetman

Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results, an authorised and regulated solicitor with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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how no fault divorce work
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How will no fault divorce work?

Published on
Chris Sweetman
Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results

The long-awaited Act for “no-fault” divorce was passed in June 2020. It is now due to become law on 6th April 2022.

The new legislation takes away all elements of pointing the blame in divorce, which have previously caused so much polarisation between couples and often leads to children becoming pawns in the middle.

Couples will be able to apply for divorce jointly and they can simply say the relationship has failed without holding either party responsible.

There will be a minimum of 20 weeks between application and divorce becoming final.

Changes in Divorce Processes

The Divorce Process will be faster, and it is hoped all matters will be resolved in a 20-week period, unlike now, where the financial settlement on divorce can often take over 12 months to sort out.

Couples going through separation need the process to be quickened so they can move on with their lives. Too often we hear stories of people still being embroiled in an acrimonious court case months after the couple first separated. The new no-fault process is designed to speed up the divorce, take away blame, and get the whole process resolved much quicker

This timeframe of 20 weeks has been introduced to counter concerns – that the reforms will make divorce a quicker and easier option for couples, than trying to save their marriage.

This ‘period of reflection’ will give couples an opportunity to reflect and work through their differences before committing to a divorce. It will also hopefully give the couples the chance to get all the ancillary matters, children, and finances within this time frame to give couples certainty moving forward.

The new process will still have two stages – conditional offer and final order. Although, there is the possibility of a separation agreement – a written agreement outlining the terms of the separation. A separation agreement will not end the marriage, but it can enable both people to agree on the terms of the separation.

Does the no-fault divorce go far enough? 

Yes, it will take away the blame which should reduce some of the tension, but the financial settlement is still a little nebulous. Judges still have very wide discretion as to how they divide marital assets

We believe new rules need introducing to clarify the courts’ approach to the division of assets.

Since there are no fixed rules, it’s very difficult to advise a client with absolute certainty what a final consent order may look like. This can sometimes lead to parties not wanting to reach an agreement especially if one or both is particularly litigious”

How would we change things?

Baroness Ruth Deech in the House of Lords is championing the idea of reform. Her Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill, proposes the following:

  • Making the starting point for the division of assets on divorce, a 50/50 split of the net value of the matrimonial assets acquired during the marriage. Courts could then consider several factors, including:
    • Any agreement between the parties about ownership of specific property
    • Dissipation of assets
    • The needs of children
  • Assets acquired before the marriage would be excluded
  • Inheritances during the marriage would be ring-fenced unless the needs of one party justified including them in any division
  • Maintenance would only be payable for five years
  • Statutory recognition of pre and postnuptial agreements

Click here for more articles from Fair Results

About Chris Sweetman

Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results, an authorised and regulated solicitor with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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How to divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour?

How to divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour?

Published on
Chris Sweetman
Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results

Unreasonable behaviour is one of the 5 grounds for divorce used in the United Kingdom.

It is the most common by far – close to 50% of all divorce applications are filed on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour.

Even though, it’s used the most – it arguably has the biggest drawbacks to the individuals divorcing.

Unfortunately, not much will change until no-fault divorce is fully introduced and enforced. Until then, all we can do is understand how to handle divorcing on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour with the least number of downsides.

What are the Grounds of Unreasonable Behaviour?

Most individuals filing for divorce themselves, get very frustrated with proving what is considered unreasonable behaviour by court. In the nutshell, unreasonable behaviour is anything one part condemns as an ‘unreasonable’ action by the other party.

The most common examples of unreasonable behaviour, include:

  • Family Disputes
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Financial Troubles
  • Inappropriate Relations with Other People
  • Verbal Abuse
  • Emotional Abuse
  • Lack of Support
  • Excessive Drinking
  • Lack of Socialising
  • Excessive Habits

In most cases, we would advise pointing out 3-5 examples of unreasonable behaviour in the divorce application. It’s important to note, that involving children or financial assets tend to not work too well, purely because these accusations usually provoke a strong reaction from the other party.

The quickest and most straightforward way of approaching this is sticking to less severe examples of unreasonable behaviour, for example: your partner being too argumentative or that there is lack of intimacy in the marriage.

Although, every case is different and some of this advice may not apply to you – the best step you can take is enquiring a divorce solicitor to guarantee the divorce application and process goes as smooth as it possibly can.

How to prove unreasonable behaviour?

Important note to keep in mind, unreasonable behaviour is the most used ground in divorce proceedings, but it is also the easiest to get wrong while doing it yourself. To start, the party applying for the divorce should provide the court with 3-5 examples of unreasonable behaviour and how did that behaviour affect them directly.

The logic to follow in court:

The opposite party has done ‘x, y, z’ which affected me in ‘x, y, z’ ways, so I cannot reasonably be expected to continue living with this person.

The court’s challenge is to see if, from a reasonable person’s perspective, the party that applied for divorce would not be expected to live with the opposite party.

Furthermore, most divorces tend to be uncontested, which I turn means that proving unreasonable behaviour is not an issue and the proceedings can continue smoothly. Although, if the divorce application is contested the court must examine to what extent do the ‘unreasonable behaviour’ examples are reasonable or unreasonable.

If challenged, court’s decision is determined by these 3 steps:

  • Analysing what the ‘accused’ person did
  • Looking at the behaviour before one of the parties applied for divorce
  • Assessing these 2 factors and the evidence at hand

Taking all of this into account, court makes the decision to what extent are the two parties expected to live with each other.

Note: When submitting a divorce application, there should be no more than 6-months before the last instance of ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

What are the issues with proving unreasonable behaviour?

First and foremost, filling for divorce under the grounds of unreasonable behaviour tends to end-up with ‘pointing the blame’. In turn, this leads to personal relationships breaking down, additional stress, and emotional strain on the divorcees.

It may not always be an issue, but in many cases, divorcees must keep co-parenting in mind and after putting the blame onto each other. Unfortunately, after going through this, it proves hard to maintain a healthy co-parenting relationship.

Secondly, unreasonable behaviour tends to be quite subjective and, if contested, it highly depends on how each of the examples are argued for and proven in front of the court.

The divorce case can get even more complicated, if the children are still living with their parents, since court puts wellbeing of the children as the priority, and if there are financial assets involved (it is usually a good idea to get a divorce financial settlement before proceeding to court).

How long does divorce takes on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour?

In most cases, divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour takes around 6-12 months. It’s important to keep in mind, that courts are facing significant delays due to Covid-19.

Otherwise, the main thing that affects the length of the divorce is whether it’s contested and if the court accepts the examples of unreasonable behaviour. The divorce process can be prolonged even further, if the two parties struggle to achieve fair decisions regarding children, finances, and assets.

Key Takeaways

  • It’s important to determine that the examples of unreasonable behaviour are applicable and well justified, to be accepted by court.
  • Divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour can take at least 6-12 months.
  • Even though, filing for divorce under grounds of unreasonable behaviour is the most popular choice, you should keep in mind that it’s the trickiest.
  • Don’t do it yourself. It’s always a wise solution, to talk with a solicitor first.

Click here for more articles from Fair Results

About Chris Sweetman

Chris Sweetman, Director of Fair Results, an authorised and regulated solicitor with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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Pension during divorce
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Pensions during divorce: The forgotten factor

Published on
Layla Babadi
Legal Director
Solicitor
Nelsons

In recent years, January has come to be unofficially known as ‘divorce month’ due to the number of couples looking to separate once the festive period is over and the new year arrives.

However the process can be a daunting prospect, as divorce brings with it a number of factors to be considered, and one of these that is commonly over looked is pensions.

According to a survey carried out by Which? in December 2021, just 15% of divorcing couples included pensions in their financial settlements.

The largest asset

Pensions are, usually, the biggest asset for divorcing couples, making up 42% of household wealth – according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – followed by property, which makes up 36%.

Therefore, the importance of discussing pensions as part of divorce proceedings is paramount to ensuring that neither party is left with a lower income.

Sections 25(2)(h) and 25B(1)(b) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) requires the court to have regard to the benefits under a pension arrangement that, by reason of dissolution of annulment of the marriage, a party to the marriage will lose the chance of acquiring.

The considerations

It is important to understand the full range of options available when dealing with pensions, and the implications involved. It is essential to understand the nature and value of pension rights, the ways in which the rights can be apportioned and the ensuing implications for the parties.

Where pension funds are a material part of the assets, consideration should be given to:

  • The nature of the pension fund(s);
  • The uses to which the pension fund(s) can be put;
  • The manner in which the court’s powers can be used to fit the future needs of the parties; and,
  • The appropriate use of experts – for example, independent financial advisers and/or pensions experts – to gather relevant information, interpret that information and consider the effect of the exercise of the court’s powers on the parties.

Often, parties may wish to equalise their retirement provision by sharing the available pension resources. A party may intend to draw a tax-free lump sum at retirement, which represents capital, and, usually, the rest of the pension fund will be accessed as deferred income. If a pension is already in payment, it can be treated as current income.

50:50?

Unsurprisingly, every single case is different and there’s no one size fits all approach when it comes to dividing up assets.

Splitting the pension 50:50 will not necessarily produce equal pension income on retirement. This can be for a number of reasons, not least the respective ages and life expectancies of the parties, and the commercial reality of what the pension credit will buy the pension recipient in terms of income on retirement.

Another approach can be to provide the pension recipient with a percentage split that will equalise pension benefits on retirement.

In many divorce cases, an equal sharing of pension rights will not produce a fair result because of the parties’ needs, ages, length of the marriage or because the pension rights are non-matrimonial assets.

To that end, there are several different options available to separating couples when it comes to splitting pensions.

Pension offsetting

Pension offsetting is the process whereby the value of the pension resources is set against the value of other assets held between the parties. Offsetting does not involve the court making any pension orders. The pension rights remain with the pension member. It works by adjusting the distribution of non-pension assets to take into account that one party will have a less valuable pension provision.

It can often be used in cases when one party wishes to retain the family home at the expense of future pension provision. It is also an option where the pension rights cannot be shared, for example an overseas pension.

Pension sharing

Pension sharing is the method by which an existing pension arrangement is split and divided between the parties following divorce, nullity or dissolution proceedings.

A pension sharing order transfers a part or the whole of a pension from one party to the other, giving the recipient a separate pension fund that can be invested in the same scheme, or in another external scheme, subject to the relevant scheme rules.

Pension attachment orders

A pension attachment order requires the person responsible for a pension arrangement to pay a percentage of the pension income, and/or pension commutable lump sum, and/or death benefits available to one party when a pension becomes payable to the other party. In this way, the recipient attaches to the existing pension arrangement.

When it comes to pensions and divorce there are numerous outcomes that need to be considered and it’s for this reason that it’s always advisable to consult a specialist family solicitor at the earliest opportunity to discuss these matters and ensure the best resolution for all involved parties.

Click here for more articles by Nelsons

About Layla Babadi

Layla is a Legal Director at Nelsons. She qualified as a solicitor in 2005 and joined the Family Law team in 2015.

Layla specialises in divorce and separation, with a particular emphasis on international divorce law. She also advises on pre and post nuptial agreements and separation agreements.

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Does the area of England you live in mean you are more likely to get divorced
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Does the area of England you live in mean you are more likely to get divorced this January?

Published on
Peter Marples
Peter Marples
Director of Fair Result

Does the area of England you live in mean you are more likely to get divorced this January?

People in the South Of England are the most likely to consider getting a divorce this New Year, according to research carried out by disrupter firm Fair Result.

However, it’s also bad news if you live in the East Riding of Yorkshire, whilst Yorkshire may not be the most likely region for divorce at this time of year, the East Riding County has the highest search volume percentage for divorce in the whole of England.

The UK’s only true fixed-fee divorce company Fair Result take a look at the regions of England where people are most likely to consider divorce this January. Compiled from Google Search volume data, each year there has been a consistent increase in the volume of enquiries to legal firms following the festive period.

Delving more into the South East, which is the region with the highest search volume, of their total 8.080 million population, 0.067% were searching for a divorce. The most likely county in the South East is Surrey who came out easily on top with 0.061% followed by Buckinghamshire with 0.059%. The South East county with the lowest search volume for divorce was West Sussex with 0.049%.

The next three most likely regions to consider divorce are Greater London with 0.066%, North West with 0.061% and the East of England with 0.055%

Yorkshire & Humber are at the halfway point with 0.053% of their 5.454 million population searching for divorce, however, the East Riding appears to be the English county where people are most likely to consider divorce this New Year with a 0.14% search volume.

The remaining 5 regions are the South West with 0.052%, East Midlands with 0.047%, Wales with 0.045%, North East with 0.036% and the lowest of the 10, with 0.029% of their 1.885 million population is Northern Ireland.

January consistently sees the highest Google search volume for divorce, year upon year. Fair result recently spoke about why January is such a popular month for divorce which stated “The festive period is a time for reflection and the trend of New Year’s resolutions plays quite a factor in Divorce, January tends to be that breaking point of starting to strive for a new better you”

To find out where your region appears in the list you can view the full analysis here.

About Peter Marples

Peter Marples – Director of Fair Result and qualified accountant, with the determination to change the way divorce is transacted

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When Money Has Been Used as Control – Understanding Your Mortgage Options After Divorce

Published on
Clementine Palmer Adv. CeMAP
Mortgage Capacity Expert
Bright Money Independent – Member of The Equity Release Council

Divorce is rarely straightforward. But for many people, it isn’t just the emotional separation that makes it difficult – it’s the financial uncertainty that follows.

Over the years, I’ve worked with many people navigating divorce and separation, who feel completely in the dark about their financial position. Some haven’t been involved in the household finances at all. Others have been told – directly or indirectly – that they won’t be able to survive financially on their own.

And in some cases, money has been used as a form of control.

This is known as financial abuse. And while it may not always be immediately obvious; it can have a significant impact on someone’s ability to move forward independently. Approximately 8.7 million people in the UK report such abuse, with over 95% of domestic abuse survivors also experiencing some form of economic abuse.

What does financial abuse look like?

In the context of a relationship, financial abuse can take many forms:

  • Not being allowed access to bank accounts
  • Having no visibility of income, outgoings, or debts
  • Being discouraged from working or building an independent income
  • Credit being taken out in your name without your full understanding
  • Being fed misinformation to prevent you from gaining financial independence i.e. “finding the right account is so complicated, I’ll manage this for you”.
  • Being told repeatedly that you “won’t be approved” for a mortgage alone

By the time a separation happens, the result is often the same: a feeling of being financially stuck, in the dark about your finances & often isolated, not knowing where to begin.

The reality: things are often not as bad as they seem

One of the most common things I hear is: “I don’t think I’ll be able to get a mortgage.”

In many cases, that belief isn’t based on fact – it’s based on lack of information, or what someone has been told over time.

The reality is, mortgage affordability is more nuanced than most people realise. There are:

  • Lenders who take a broader view of income
  • Options available for those with less conventional financial histories
  • Ways to structure lending that aren’t always visible on the high street
  • Affordable housing options for those with low income or low deposit
  • Later life lending options such as Retirement-Interest-Only (RIO) & equity release mortgages, specially designed for people aged 50+ who had previously been far more restricted.

But without a clear, professional assessment, advice & guidance, it’s incredibly difficult to know what is actually possible.

This is where mortgage capacity reports come in

A mortgage capacity report provides a detailed, evidence-based assessment of what someone could realistically borrow following separation or divorce.

It’s not a generic online calculator or a rough estimate. It’s a properly researched report, tailored to an individual’s circumstances, considering:

  • Income (including complex or variable income)
  • Dependants
  • Existing financial commitments
  • Age & sustainability of onward mortgage
  • Credit profile
  • The full range of available lenders

These reports are used within divorce proceedings & separation to support fair financial settlements & asset division, particularly when property is involved.

But beyond that, they serve an important purpose: they replace uncertainty with clarity.

Why clarity matters

When you don’t know what you can afford, it’s easy to feel powerless, especially if you’ve been part of a relationship where you’ve had little or no control over your finances.

You may:

  • Stay in a situation longer than you want to
  • Accept a settlement that gives you less than you deserve
  • Feel unable to challenge assumptions because you don’t have the facts

Clarity changes that.

Understanding your borrowing capacity allows you to:

  • Make informed decisions during negotiations
  • Plan your next steps with assurance
  • Regain a sense of financial independence & confidence

A different kind of conversation

One of the most important parts of my role isn’t just the technical calculation – it’s the conversation around it; What is not only affordable but sustainable at this stage in your life? What are your financial goals in this new chapter of your life?

For many clients, this is the first time they’ve been able to sit down and talk openly about their financial position without pressure or judgement.

It’s not about pushing towards a mortgage. It’s about understanding what is realistically achievable and creating a plan that supports long-term stability & your financial goals as an independent person.

A final thought

If you are going through a divorce or separation and feel unsure about your financial future, you’re not alone – and you’re not without options.

What you’ve been told, or what you believe to be possible, may not reflect the full picture.

With the right information and the right advice & support, many people find they have more choices than they expected.

And that is often the first step towards moving forward with confidence.

About Clementine Palmer

Clementine is a Mortgage Capacity Expert at Bright Money Independent – Member of The Equity Release Council

Clementine brings a meticulous, detail-oriented approach to every report she prepares. She has particular expertise in complex income structures, later-life lending and self-employed cases, where a thorough understanding of lender criteria makes all the difference,

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5 of the Most Expensive Divorce Mistakes

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Leah Hadley, AFC®, CDFA®, MAFF®
Founder and Senior Wealth Advisor of Intentional Wealth Partners and Intentional Divorce Solutions

The average cost of a divorce in the United States is between $15,000 and $20,000. High-conflict cases can exceed $100,000. With those stakes, knowing your financial priorities before settlement talks begin is essential.

While divorce rates are down, “Gray Divorce” rates are up. In fact, 36% of divorces are now in couples aged 50 or older. These are long term marriages where couples have built significant shared wealth, making the financial split more complicated.  A bad divorce has deep hidden costs that can ripple through your life long after the divorce is over. It can take years to recover in some cases, long, long after the ink has dried on your divorce decree.

All too often, I see clients make mistakes that have long term consequences. The true financial devastation of a bad divorce often lies in like the thousand little things that you don’t even see coming.

Here’s 5 Expensive Divorce Mistakes People Commonly Make:

1.   Not Understanding Tax Implications

Many people don’t understand the tax implications of divorce. Many of us are ready to pull our hair out during a normal tax season. But if you’re going through a divorce, it can get complicated.

Keep in mind:

  • Some account values represent pre-tax values and others represent after-tax values.
  • Dividing certain types of retirement accounts without a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) can trigger additional taxes and penalties.
  • Alimony and child support are not federally tax deductible for the payer, and are not taxable income for the recipient. This varies with state income taxes.
  • You may be required to pay capital gains taxes on a house or stock sale.
  • Just changing your tax filing status to ”single” from “married filing jointly” will result in higher tax rates and lower deduction amounts.

These are not small details. They are decisions that can cost tens of thousands of dollars. All these factors need to be considered to ensure an equitable split of assets vs. just fair market value.

2.   Keeping a House They Could Barely Afford as a Couple

For many women, keeping the family home feels like the right move, especially when children are involved. Stability, familiarity, avoiding yet another upheaval. But the family home is often the single largest financial mistake after divorce that I see women make.

Here is the problem. The house comes with a mortgage, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and utilities. All costs that were once shared. If your income cannot comfortably support all of those expenses on its own, the house becomes a financial trap, not an asset.

In addition, many women trade retirement assets for home equity during the settlement, not realizing that a dollar in a retirement account and a dollar in home equity are not worth the same thing. Retirement accounts have tax advantages and investment growth. Home equity is illiquid and fluctuates with the market.

Don’t trade away future financial security for a money trap.

3.   Focusing on Short Term Comfort Instead of Long Term Goals

This brings me to my next point. Be careful what you negotiate for that will make life easier now, but will set you back in the future. For instance, many women are willing to give up valuable assets in order to secure primary custody, or to keep the house, not fully understanding the value of what they are giving up.

Going through a divorce is also a very emotional time. I’ve seen clients who comfort themselves through retail therapy, which can lead to real financial damage. I’ve also seen clients who are so fearful of spending and investing in their career or education that they’ve eliminated support that could help them build wealth in the long run.

Try to focus on your entire financial future, not just the present.

4.   Not Truly Understanding the Value of a Pension

A pension earned during the marriage is marital property, which means it gets divided as part of the marital estate. But here is an important detail: only the marital portion counts. That is the value that built up while you were married. If your spouse had already been working and contributing to that pension for 10 years before you two got together, those early years are off the table.

There are also two ways to divide a pension in a divorce. The deferred distribution method splits the monthly payments when they actually come in during retirement. The immediate offset method means one spouse buys the other out using assets or cash at the time of the divorce.

Each approach has trade-offs, and the right choice depends on your full financial picture. This is exactly where getting the right advice makes a real difference.

5.   Assuming You Can Always Make More Money

As a final word of warning, don’t always assume you can make more money back if you give up valuable assets in a divorce. I’ve seen clients negotiate away retirement benefits and assets to get what they want in a divorce. Many of them assume that they have another 10-15 years to earn back money to use in retirement.

This way of thinking doesn’t take into account that life is unpredictable. We just don’t know when the bottom will fall out. You never know when an accident could result in a disability, or you could unexpectedly lose your job. After 50, it’s harder to find a job and in fact 24% of those laid off after 50 never find full time employment again at the same level.

Keep your long term financial goals in mind during a divorce and don’t trade them away without considering the worst case future scenarios. Prepare for the worse and hope for the best.

About Leah Handley

Leah Hadley, AFC®, CDFA®, MAFF®, is the Founder and Senior Wealth Advisor of Intentional Wealth Partners and Intentional Divorce Solutions

Leah Hadley, AFC®, CDFA®, MAFF®, is the Founder and Senior Wealth Advisor of Intentional Wealth Partners and Intentional Divorce Solutions. With nearly 20 years of experience in financial services, she specialises in helping women navigate divorce and major life transitions with clarity and confidence. Drawing from both professional expertise and her own lived experience, Leah is known for her compassionate, judgment-free approach to financial empowerment. Her new book, Intentional Money, is a practical guide designed to help women take control of their finances and build lasting independence. 

Connect with Leah
Instagram: @watchherthrive
LinkedIn: @leahahadley
YouTube: @watchherthrive

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Is Porn Addiction Ruining Your Marriage? Expert Advice & The Cities Most-Effected

Published on
Georgina Vass
Relationship and Sex Therapist
Charlotte Talbot
Charlotte Talbot
Partner – Family Law Beecham
Peacock Solicitors

Relationship and Sex Therapist Georgina Vass and Divorce Lawyer Charlotte Talbot Dissect the Ramifications of Rising Porn Addiction in the UK.

Pornography – and the UK’s relationship with it – has come under the spotlight repeatedly throughout 2025. From the introduction of the Online Safety Act, designed to restrict access to explicit content for under-18s, to Strictly Come Dancing star Ore Oduba’s brave admission of a 30-year pornography addiction that he says “destroyed his life inside out,” the national conversation has intensified.

Now, most recently, Pornhub — the largest pornography site in the world — has released its statistical round-up of the UK’s pornography habits in 2025. The findings have coincided with recent reports of ‘out of control’ pornography use by therapists, and point to a growing appetite for increasingly extreme and addictive content.

This extreme content can be seen in the rise of controversial UK porn actors, including Bonnie Blue and Lily Phillips, both of whom became the subjects of widely discussed documentaries this year examining the personal and psychological impact of producing extreme pornography.

To explore the impact pornography addiction is having on married couples and help those affected by pornography addiction in 2026, we spoke to Sex Therapist Georgina Vass and Family Law Divorce Lawyer Charlotte Talbot from Beecham Peacock.

Where in the UK is searching for Pornhub’s top searches?

In Pornhub’s 2025 report, the top-searched terms for pornographic content include ‘Milf’, ‘Lesbian’ and ‘British’ porn. When we cross-reference these popular categories with Google searches from the UK’s main cities, we gain insight into which UK cities are engaging with popular explicit content the most.

While these results don’t necessarily indicate addiction, they do show that Leeds, Newcastle and Bristol take the top spots when it comes to Googling t

he UK’s most commonly searched porn categories – which could be reflective of increased porn use overall.

What is meant by porn addiction?

“First off, scientifically, there is not yet such a thing as a porn addiction, in the medical sense,” clarifies Vass. “When we think about excessive porn consumption, it’s usually classified as an impulse control disorder, and like other disorders, such as personality or anxiety disorders, it can strain intimacy and connection in romantic relationships.

“There is absolutely a context where pornography can be consumed healthily within relationships, but pornography dependence is evident and problematic when it negatively affects someone’s mental, physical, social, occupational or financial wellbeing and cannot be voluntarily curtailed.”

The impact on intimacy and relationships

“If a person finds that the time spent consuming porn is interfering with or is replacing time spent connecting with their partner, then that can be problematic,” Vass continues. “Porn can create unrealistic expectations of body standards, illicit a change in sexual responses, detach sex from emotional context and fuel gendered stereotypes, which over time may distort how people view their real-life relationships.

“As a general rule, if porn use begins to create psychological distress or you notice that it’s getting in the way of socialising, work commitments or other meaningful things in your life – then its use is becoming problematic and will likely be affecting your intimacy and relationship. For example, this can manifest in unexplained, negative changes to sexual functioning with your partners.”

“Intimacy breakdown is a natural part of couples drifting apart, provided the divorce hasn’t been caused by a single, catastrophic incident – such as cheating, or any other irreparable form of breaking trust,” adds divorce lawyer, Charlotte Talbot. “We’ve increasingly seen crippling pornography use play a part in divorce, as the partner without the dependency on porn leaves the situation if a couple cannot get past it.”

Can a marriage recover from porn addiction?

“You and your partner can create whatever version of a relationship you both want; you’re both writing the script,” says Vass, “so long-term relationships can recover from most things if both partners are committed to the work.

“Couples who choose to recommit can repair with open communication, trust building and allowing each other time to forgive. Joint therapy can help, as some couples find it difficult to communicate effectively without strong emotions when the addressed problem is still fresh.

“For a marriage to recover, the individual who’s struggling with porn use must address the problem affecting the relationship,” Vass continues. “Successful recovery from porn dependency looks like decreased frequency and duration of use and a reduction in cravings – it’s about regaining control.

“For the couple as a unit, recovery includes forgiveness, removing the temptation to weaponise the problem, and maintaining hope and optimism for their future.”

Can porn addiction become a legal matter in divorce?

“UK divorce law is now no-fault, meaning the court isn’t concerned with assigning blame,” Talbot explains. “However, that doesn’t mean behaviour within a marriage is irrelevant. When excessive pornography use contributes to emotional neglect, secrecy, financial strain or a breakdown in trust, it can form part of the wider circumstances behind why a relationship has irretrievably broken down and form a point of reference in extreme cases concerning abuse.

“Generally, pornography use tends to sit alongside other relationship difficulties,” Talbot says. “Some clients have noted pornography addiction as a key driver that led to feeling disconnected, unsupported or unable to continue in the marriage – and when that happens, the law focuses on fairness and wellbeing.

“From a legal perspective, most implications concern cases where addiction to adult material is extreme, potentially impacting child access arrangements,“ Talbot explains. “Addressing problematic behaviour early – whether through communication, therapy or professional support – can make a significant difference to both personal outcomes and legal ones.” 


Read more articles by Beecham Peacock LLP.

About Charlotte Talbot

Charlotte is a Partner in the Family Department at Beecham Peacock LLP. She specialises in all aspects of Family Law. Charlotte qualified from Northumbria University on the LLB Exempting Degree in 2004 and started her training contact with Beecham Peacock in August 2004 and qualified as a Solicitor in 2006. She has been based in the Family Department since qualification and became a member of the Law Society Children Panel Accreditation Scheme in July 2010. She is also a member of the Law Society Family Law Accreditation Scheme and Resolution. Charlotte has extensive experience in all areas of Family Law.

About Georgina Vass

As a relationship and sex therapist, with over 15 years of academic and professional experience in sex-education and mental health services, Georgina offers a sex-positive approach to individuals and couples.

Using a combination of warmth and humor, along with a background in CBT, psychotherapy, and family therapy in New York City and Brighton, she strive’s to offer her clients an integrative approach using a variety of evidence-based tools to reduce the difficulties that they are experiencing and collaborate with them to enable more helpful changes.

Georgina also adopts a biopsychosocial approach to consider my client’s biology, psychology, physical health, emotional wellbeing, and environment and how these factors relate to create a full picture of their presenting issues.

Find out more.

For press

For further information, please contact John Hannen at john@inspiredagency.co.uk or call 0191 265 8585.

If you wish to cover this story, please credit Beecham Peacock with this link: https://www.beechampeacock.co.uk/family-law/

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Cryptoassets and Divorce: Why Digital Assets Are Becoming a Critical Part of Financial Disclosure

Published on
Louise Mackie
Louise Mackie
Tax Manager
Myna

Divorce proceedings are often financially complex. The increasing prevalence of cryptoassets is introducing an additional layer of difficulty for separating couples and their advisers.

As digital assets become more mainstream, they are appearing more frequently in financial settlements. Yet many individuals involved in divorce proceedings remain unfamiliar with how these assets are held, valued, or disclosed.

This lack of understanding can create a significant information gap. In some cases, one spouse may hold cryptoassets without the other fully appreciating what it is or how it works. In others, digital assets may simply be overlooked because they do not resemble traditional financial holdings such as bank accounts, pensions, or property.

For family lawyers and divorce practitioners, recognising when cryptoassets may form part of the financial landscape is becoming increasingly important.

Why crypto can be difficult to identify

Unlike traditional investments, cryptoassets are not always held through a centralised institution such as a bank or brokerage. Instead, it can be stored in digital wallets that are controlled directly by the owner. These wallets may exist as accounts on exchanges, mobile apps, hardware devices, or encrypted files that store cryptographic keys controlling the assets.

Because of this structure, digital assets may not appear clearly within standard financial documentation. Bank statements might show transfers to a cryptoasset exchange, but the assets themselves sit elsewhere. If an individual uses multiple exchanges or transfers assets between private wallets, tracing ownership can become more complex.

However, this does not mean cryptoassets are invisible. Most major blockchain networks record transactions permanently on a public ledger. The challenge is not that the information does not exist, but that it requires the right expertise to interpret it.

Indicators that digital assets may exist

In practice, there are often clues that cryptoasset holdings may be present. Transactions to well-known exchanges can appear on bank or credit card statements. References to trading platforms or crypto applications may also appear within financial records.

In some cases, individuals may disclose involvement in digital assets but underestimate or misunderstand the value of their holdings. Cryptoasset prices can fluctuate significantly, and assets acquired several years earlier may now be worth far more than originally expected.

For legal advisers, asking clear and direct questions about digital asset activity can be an important first step in ensuring that financial disclosure is complete.

Understanding how crypto is held

Cryptoassets can be stored in several ways. Many investors use exchanges that operate similarly to online trading platforms. Others move their assets into private wallets that they control directly. These wallets can exist as software applications or as physical devices designed to store cryptographic keys securely.

Transfers between wallets are common, and assets can move across different platforms quickly. As a result, reviewing the history of transactions is often necessary to understand where digital assets are currently held and how they have been managed over time.

This process may involve forensic accounting or specialist blockchain analysis in more complex cases.

Tax considerations in divorce settlements

When cryptoassets form part of a financial settlement, tax implications should not be overlooked. In the UK, cryptoassets are generally treated as property for tax purposes. Disposing of them, including selling, exchanging or transferring them in some circumstances, can trigger capital gains tax.

If one spouse transfers cryptoassets to the other as part of a divorce settlement, the timing and structure of that transfer can affect the tax outcome. In some situations, transfers between spouses or civil partners can often take place on a no gain, no loss basis for capital gains tax purposes. Since 2023, separating couples may have up to three tax years after separation to make such transfers.

Valuation is also important as cryptoasset prices can move quickly, agreeing on the value of digital assets at the time of settlement can be challenging.

Increasing transparency around digital assets

Regulatory reporting around cryptoassets is evolving rapidly. Exchanges are under increasing pressure to comply with anti-money laundering requirements and to share information with tax authorities. International initiatives such as the OECD Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework are designed to standardise how cryptoasset transactions are reported across jurisdictions. As these rules are implemented, tax authorities will gain greater visibility over digital asset activity held on regulated platforms.

While cryptoassets once carried a reputation for anonymity, the reality today is more nuanced. Blockchain technology creates permanent transaction records, and as regulatory frameworks develop, the ability to identify and analyse digital asset activity continues to improve.

A growing area of financial complexity

For many separating couples, cryptoassets will simply be one part of a broader financial picture. However, its presence can complicate disclosure and valuation if it is not properly understood.

The key for advisers and individuals alike is awareness and appropriate enquiry. Asking the right questions, recognising the signs that digital assets may exist, and seeking specialist

advice where necessary can help ensure that financial settlements are based on a complete and accurate view of the assets involved.

As digital assets continue to move into the financial mainstream, their role in divorce proceedings will likely become more common. Ensuring that both parties understand how these assets work is an important step toward achieving fair and transparent financial outcomes.

About Louise Mackie

Louise Mackie is a Tax Manager at Myna Accountants, where she leads the firm’s tax team and oversees the delivery of tax advisory and compliance services.

She works with a wide range of clients, including individuals and sole traders, with a particular focus on cryptoasset taxation.

Louise advises clients on the tax implications of digital asset transactions and investments, while also supporting those outside the crypto sector with personal and business tax planning, compliance, and practical guidance.

She is known for translating complex tax rules into clear, actionable advice, helping clients make informed financial decisions.

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The Grey Divorce Surge – The Truth About Divorce After 50

Published on
Johanna Lynn
Johanna Lynn
Founder
The Family Imprint Institute

The house felt different now that Emma and Reya were off at university. For seventeen years, the demands of family life had functioned as a kind of silent third party in the marriage, absorbing attention, energy, and everything neither of them had found the time to say.

She had moved through those years like a woman crossing a river on stones, each step requiring just enough focus that she never looked up to see where she was going. Now she stands on the opposite bank, looking across to her husband and between them lay years of unspoken things. The resentments had built up in the background, from small things to more significant hurts and misunderstandings that had accumulated.

There had been apologies, they each said it was fine. And it was fine, in the moment, because there was no time to not be fine. There was a parent with a scary diagnosis that needed attention and a parent-teacher conference that night and the dentist appointment that kept getting forgotten.

Lately, the truth had started to feel more urgent than keeping the peace. Twenty years ago she would have swallowed the comment he made about her mother. This time she turned to him in the car and said, with quiet clarity: ‘That’s unfair, actually unkind, and you know it is.’

Sometimes in the quiet after the children leave, the unspoken things finally get to speak.

The Rise of Grey Divorce

This experience is far from unusual. Separations among people aged 50 and older have roughly doubled since 1990. Breakups in this demographic cluster in the mid-40s to mid-50s, that  perfect storm where children launch, careers plateau, and for many women, perimenopause and menopause insist on a biological and psychological renegotiation of everything that came before.

Most people don’t decide to suddenly leave a long marriage, they simply stop being able to stay because of all that has accumulated.

Often a result of two people slowly becoming strangers under the same roof, grey divorce tends to arrive not as a shock, but as the name for something that has been true for a very long time. Arriving when the scaffolding of family life comes down and what remains is simply two people, often surprised by how little they recognize each other.

Many people talk about the end of a long marriage as though it is some sort of failure. It absolutely isn’t. The marriage that raised your family and shaped the person standing here today deserves respect, not judgement. What you shared together was real, even if what you need now is different.

What would truly hurt is to let this ending harden your heart, to stay stuck in blame, repeating old hurts that no longer have anywhere useful to go. To walk into a new relationship carrying the same patterns that broke the last one.

The wisdom is in being able to say, this mattered, this shaped me, and it is complete. That is not giving up. That is acknowledgment, discernment and the foundation every next chapter deserves

The grey divorce surge is not a generation walking away from commitment. It is a generation finally understanding that staying, at any cost, in any condition, was never the same thing as living in a healthy marriage.

Knowing that doesn’t make leaving easy. That doesn’t make the ending any less complicated to live through. The years are too tangled, the memories too layered, the love, even when it has changed beyond recognition, too real to simply file away in divorce court.

What I have seen, in 20 years of working with couples through grey divorce, is that the grief is real and the relief is real, and both of those things can be true at once. You are allowed to mourn a marriage you also know you needed to leave. You are allowed to be grateful for what it was and honest about what it became.

If you are reading this and recognizing your own life in these words, the accumulated silences, the apologies that were never quite enough, what rises is often not just the end of a marriage, but the echo of older patterns asking to be seen. The real question is not “who is to blame,” but much more connected to what is this ending here to reveal?  From that clarity, you can grieve and you can exhale, before deciding your next step.

Read more articles by Johanna Lynn.

About  Johanna Lynn

Johanna Lynn is a therapist with over 20 years’ experience working with couples and individuals navigating relationships. Specialising in grey divorce and re-building life after divorce. Visit www.johannalynn.ca

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