24 New Year New You Financial & legal services


Saturday 5th January 2019


Know who to turn to for your divorce I


Although deciding to divorce can be a stressful, emotional and upsetting period of time for both sides, it can also offer a sense of relief and new opportunities. But, finds Paul Eoin, knowing how to go about it is key if stress is to be minimised


t may be the added stress of planning a family Christmas that was the last straw for a strained marriage or


perhaps someone was just holding off an inevitable decision about a failed relationship until after the festive season, but with a new year dawning, January is often the time when people unhappy in their marriage begin looking into the process of divorce. Knowing who to turn to for


advice can be daunting — you may not want to drag family and friends into this aspect of your life and paid-for legal advice can be eye-wateringly expensive. A good starting point is any one of several charities and support groups, such as Relate, which work across the country to offer advice, support and a listening ear. Websites and forums are another useful source of other people’s stories and experiences, but beware of heeding the advice (quite possibly incorrect) of unknown online strangers, however well-intentioned they may be. Instead, use this information to build up a list of your own questions and requirements to put to your own, properly qualified


expert, such as a lawyer, financial adviser or mediator. Deciding to involve lawyers


in any divorce proceedings will undoubtedly increase the associated costs and is a personal decision to be made by the two sides involved. For complex, acrimonious cases it will almost certainly be a necessity, but it’s possible to complete a divorce without involving lawyers in most simple and amicable divorces. Several websites and smartphone apps, such as amicable. io, offer to guide both sides through the steps to help achieve a satisfactory settlement. For divorces that involve


children, it may be worth each


Knowing who to turn to for advice can be daunting — you may not want to drag family


and friends into this and legal advice can be eye- wateringly expensive


party seeking the advice of a qualified lawyer and/or mediator who can work to ensure that the best interest of the children is also taken into account for any agreements. Experienced mediators can be a very valuable asset to any divorce proceedings, helping both sides reach agreements and compromises that are acceptable to both sides, often adopting a more collaborative approach than is found in the law courts and usually considerably cheaper than lawyers. Particularly for families, reaching


an interim payment agreement can be a crucial step towards ensuring that a final divorce settlement is acceptable to both sides and is reached amicably. A sensible temporary agreement on how to pay for groceries, bills, rents and mortgage payments can relieve some of the immediate worries in a very stressful period and allow both sides some time to work out the more complex aspects of an agreement (such as rewriting wills, life insurance and pension plans) more calmly and rationally and hopefully minimising the impact of the divorce on any children involved.


It’s possible to complete a divorce without involving lawyers PHOTOGRAPH: GETTY


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BQ Watches, BQW House, 1 Back Lane, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 0HS | info@bqwatches.com | bqwatches.com 19/11/2018 12:21:56


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