Canter Levin & Berg Solicitors

Divorce Finances – We can help you to sort out your financial situation during and after your divorce or the dissolution of your civil partnership.

It is important to consider when getting divorced, the financial issues that arise out of the separation

For example:-

• What happens to the house?
• How will pensions be divided?
• What financial support will be provided?

Most couples try to reach a settlement without having to ask the court to determine their claims.

If there is an agreement

Where that is possible the couple should convert their agreement into a Consent Order, which the court will be asked to approve.

What if an agreement cannot be reached?

Some couples are not able to come to an agreement in relation to their finances, and they need the court to help

Where a court application is made, the parties will still be encouraged to try and come to a settlement themselves, but ultimately a judge will impose an outcome on them if they cannot agree

What are the typical orders that can be made?

The different types of orders that a court can make are:

1. Interim maintenance (one party pays the other maintenance until the financial proceedings have concluded).
2. Periodical payments (spousal maintenance, a regular monthly payment to help with costs of living. Payments can be for a set time, or until the death of the first of the couple to die).
3. Property adjustment order (this is an order to change the way the property is held. It could be to transfer into one parties name, or to order a sale).
4. Pension orders (either pension attachment, or pension sharing. Where the benefits of one party’s pension is paid over or transferred to the other party).
5. Financial orders for children (these are less common since the Child Maintenance Service deals with most of these).

Reaching a suitable financial settlement in your divorce or dissolution (or ‘financial remedy’ as it is known by lawyers) is often one of the most important elements of a marriage or civil partnership breakdown. Receiving specialist advice from our expert legal team can remove some of the uncertainty during what can be a worrying time.

We can help you with divorce finances

The family law team at Canter Levin & Berg are members of Resolution, the national organisation of family lawyers committed to providing a non-confrontational approach to family problems.

As such we will make sure your case is handled in a conciliatory manner whilst ensuring your best interests are protected. If it is appropriate, we can assist you in reaching a financial settlement without going to court. For many people this is a more cost effective solution, and we are happy to refer you to a local mediation service and provide you with expert legal advice during the process.

We will demystify what can sometimes feel like an overwhelming amount of legal jargon. We will advise you what to expect when negotiating a financial settlement, including exchanging information about your finances with your former partner in order to reach an appropriate settlement. When giving you advice about a financial settlement our solicitors will guide you through your options.

It is usually necessary to attempt to resolve any dispute about a financial settlement through attending mediation, unless there is a good reason why this would not be appropriate – such as you have been a victim of domestic abuse. We can arrange to make a referral to a mediation service local to you, and provide you with expert legal advice whilst mediation is ongoing.

If it becomes necessary for your case to be resolved through the courts, we are available to offer specialist advice every step of the way, including representation through the courts. Whether you can agree a financial settlement directly with your ex-partner, through mediation or through the courts, it is vital your agreement is formally recorded in a consent order.

It is still possible that you may be entitled to legal aid. We can help you to check your eligibility. Alternatively we can offer fixed fee services agreed in advance.

Contact us now

For a confidential discussion with one of our solicitors call 0151 239 1000 today. Alternatively you can fill in the contact form at the top of this page and someone from our family law department will call you back to discuss your case.