Family law advice in Doncaster: what are your rights? Who can help? – divorce and finances explained
When should you consult a Family Lawyer?
The simple answer to this question is that it is never too early to seek legal advice from a family lawyer.
Often clients will contact me to arrange a consultation before they are separated, in order to seek a better understanding of how the divorce process works and what to consider in respect of dividing their finances enabling them to have the confidence to move forward at a time that is right for them.
As a family law solicitor, I advise clients on all aspects of family law and have detailed here why I believe that it is important to seek legal advice at an early stage.
When divorcing it is important to obtain initial advice to understand the difference between divorce and finances. It is also important that you understand what divorce means, how divorce works, what your options are, how you could possibly do it yourself online, how you could do a joint divorce or indeed how I can do it for you. I will always give you a cost estimate.
Many people think that when getting a divorce you need to set out the reasons why your marriage has irretrievably broken down, blaming your spouse within court documents. This is no longer the case as the need for ‘the blame game’ has been removed since 6 April 2022, when the No-Fault Divorce came into effect. You now only need to confirm that your marriage has irretrievably broken down. This puts people at ease who may feel trapped in a marriage and now gives them the option to move forward with their lives without acrimony or unpleasantness.
I will explain to you the timescales of divorce, the number of weeks you must wait before you can progress your divorce and why you might want to consider holding off making your divorce final until you have dealt with your finances. If you don’t take this initial advice you may not be aware of the consequences your actions could possibly have.
Once a person has decided they want a divorce they want to achieve that as fast as possible and are not always aware of considerations they ought to have.
If you wish to apply for divorce yourself online I will give you an idea of what to expect. Applying for a divorce yourself online without seeking advice from a solicitor may mean that you fill out your application incorrectly. This in turn could incur you additional fees and time.
It is imperative to seek early advice upon finances as it is a complex area of law and one that can be difficult to understand. With the help of myself and our other lawyers we can streamline the process for you and make it feel a lot less daunting.
I can ensure that you aware of things that you may be doing that could be seen as setting a precedent such as if you are paying the mortgage and/or bills on a property for your spouse and whether there are any implications on you.
It may be that you are receiving money each month from your spouse and you have concerns that if you separate, you will be left with nothing. I can provide advice on how you may be eligible to be supported following separation and the court applications available in this respect.
At an initial consultation you will learn which documents you will be expected to prepare and collate. It will help you be much more organised and means you will have to hand all documents which you may need going forward.
Most clients expect to be told what they would receive financially should they separate. Unfortunately no lawyer will be able to tell you exactly what the result would be in a financial settlement as every matter is different.
I can, however, tell you how the law works in relation to finances, explaining the starting point, what a judge will take into consideration and I can give you an indication as to what you could expect to receive in general terms. I cannot give you any specific advice relating to your finances in the absence of having sight of the relevant documents from you both. I can only work on the information that I am provided with.
I will explain fairness to you and how the law works. Sometimes it may not be what you want to hear, but it is important that the advice you receive is informed and direct. Nobody wants to be under any illusions when it comes to such important decisions in their life.
I will set out all options available to you to enable you to resolve your finances including mediation. I will also explain ways in which property can be dealt with.
It is important that you make an informed decision of how you want to proceed with your future and what would be best for you.
I will explain to you what it means to obtain a clean break and will advise you of the risks and possible implications if you choose to settle your finances without a court order.
I will give you honest tailored advice even if it may not be what you want to hear and will always promote the most fair and cost effective solution for your matter.
When obtaining initial advice in respect of children, it is imperative that you tell me as much information as possible. I will tell you what your options are, what actions are reasonable and what may look unreasonable in the eyes of the court. The main focus will always be the welfare of your children and what is in their best interests
I will advise you what powers you have in the absence of court orders and what impact a court order may have on you and your family. I will also explain to you how the courts works and what involvement social services and/or CAFCASS will have or are likely to have with you and your children.
I will stress the importance of your actions and how everything that you do sets a precedent.
I will set out all of your options and help you consider each one as court should be a last resort. I will give you advice, information and support that will help your position and benefit you and your family.
I have a young family of my own and I am very passionate about what I do. I genuinely care about your matter and the outcome and you can trust that I will do my best to ensure that you get an outcome that is right for you and your family.
I hope to give you some clarity and understanding to enable you to move forward and gain some confidence to enable you to make an informed decision at what is a very sensitive and difficult time in your life.
I will never put you under any pressure to instruct Andrew Isaacs Law to represent you but I will ensure that you know where I am and how to instruct me should you wish to do so.
For more information visit the website here, 01302 349 480 or email [email protected]