• Negotiating Separation: Brexit and Divorce

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    Since 2016, Brexit has dominated the news. Everyone is well aware of the results of the referendum for the UK to leave the EU. Many people may have believed this to be a relatively straightforward matter. However, matters are often not as straightforward as they may appear, particularly when there is to be a separation.  As we often hear analysts say: Brexit is a “divorce”. When couples separate there may be various issues that need to be determined. Simply moving out of the family home and going off to live a new life of independence may not be realistic. The …

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  • Second time lucky?

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    Last week, John Torode and Lisa Faulkner had a beautiful wedding ceremony and legally married. John said that he has ‘officially married the girl of his dreams’. For both of them, this was not the first time they have been married. Circumstances around a second marriage are almost always more complicated than the first. There are often children from previous relationships to consider – John has 4 children from previous relationships and Lisa adopted a child with her ex-husband. Not only this, but you would have acquired assets such as property, savings, investments, pensions and businesses. So do second marriages …

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  • Thinking about Christmas…

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    Although it is only just October and Christmas may still feel far away, for separated parents it is worthwhile spending sometime sorting out the holiday arrangements early, if this has not already been done. Christmas is a special and magical time for children and any conflict surrounding the arrangements can dampen the celebrations considerably.  Each December, we are contacted by clients who are having difficulty finalising the arrangements for the Christmas holidays.  Sometimes we are asked to sort things out as late as the week before Christmas, which can be incredibly stressful for parents (as well as the children). Some …

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  • Separated Parents Information Programme

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    When a couple separates there are many difficult issues that may need to be resolved, from what should happen to the family home to who should keep the car. There is often a difference of opinion as to the appropriate outcome, but what people generally agree is that they want the best for their children. What is not always clear is how to achieve this. Contemplating an ongoing relationship with an ex-partner can be daunting, but where there are children involved it is something that is worth thinking about at an early stage. Communication can be challenging and many parents …

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  • A quick guide to pre-nuptial agreements

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    Most people are aware that a pre-nuptial agreement can be entered into before marriage in order to help determine what would happen to finances in the event of any divorce. What people are often not aware of is that a pre-nuptial Agreement is a complex legal document with various technical requirements that need to be complied with. This means that even if you think that your pre-nuptial agreement is going to be very straightforward, it will still need to be properly drafted by a specialist solicitor to ensure that it is valid. Pre-nuptial agreements are not currently binding in English …

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  • A Will is for everyone, not just the elderly

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    This common misconception means that sometimes people who really should make a Will do not. If you die without a Will, this is called dying intestate. This means that the Intestacy Rules determine who inherits what, which means your loved ones could miss out and a large chunk of your estate could go to HMRC. In order to avoid this situation and to ensure that your estate passes to people of your choice, it is highly recommended that you have a valid Will.          If you live with a partner but are not married or in a civil partnership, and …

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  • Christmas Day Divorces

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    January is a famously busy time for family lawyers, with many couples on the brink of separation finding the stress of Christmas to be the final straw for their relationship. The first week of the New Year has become a much talked about period for new divorce enquiries. This year, with the introduction of an online divorce petition in May 2018, it seems that this busy period for divorces started earlier, with government figures saying that thirteen people actually completed the online application on Christmas Day. According to the Ministry of Justice, there were a total of 455 online applications …

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  • What does normal look like?

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    This is a question we are often asked by separating parents deciding how to agree the arrangements for their children. Parents often ask what other families do and what is considered usual or normal when deciding how many nights per week their children should spend with each of them, or how they should divide school holidays.   The advice that we often give is that there is no normal. Each family, and each child, is unique and therefore the arrangements that will be in their best interests will also be unique. What works for one child may not work for …

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