How To Save Money During Divorce Proceedings

Divorce is a stressful business, and it can be a costly one too.

While there’s no such thing as a free divorce, it is possible to keep costs down. In this article, we’re sharing tips on how to save money during divorce proceedings.

A divorce can impact many different areas of your life, including your bank account. When a divorce drags on for a significant amount of time, the couple can end up racking up huge bills.

For this reason, a lot of couples opt for a clean break order, or for other money saving tactics. But what is a clean break order, and what other money saving options are there during divorce?

In this article, we’ll be discussing what this is, and other ways to save money during divorce proceedings.

How to save money during divorce proceedings

There are a few ways in which you can keep costs down during a divorce. In this section, we’ll take a closer look at some of these: 

Clean Break Order

A Clean Break Order is a method of resolving financial matters between a divorcing couple which allows the couple to go their separate ways with no further ties or contact. This often means working out a solution whereby no spousal payments will be made or demanded following the divorce.

A Clean Break Order is a legal court order and will usually mean that the financially stronger partner will agree to make a one-off lump sum payment to their spouse, after which no further financial claims will be entertained.

When the wealthier partner pays a lump sum to their spouse, this can safeguard their future earnings as well as preventing their spouse from making more and larger demands for money in the form of maintenance payments or child support. 

Pension

In some parts of the UK, it’s possible for a person to make a claim on their ex-spouse’s pension after a divorce; even if the pension(s) was taken out prior to the marriage. Because of this, it may be sensible to come to an agreement about any pensions before proceeding with the divorce, as a cash payment will often be a cheaper option than sharing a pension.

Communicate

The single largest cost during divorce proceedings is that of solicitors’ fees. These are usually charged by the hour and include visits, telephone calls and letters, all of which can quickly add up.

By putting your differences aside for a while and keeping channels of communication open with your spouse, you may be able to agree on the terms of the divorce between you, thereby saving time and, more importantly, cash.

Property

In a lot of cases, a married couple owns a property which is in the names of both parties. When a separation occurs, it’s natural for a couple to no longer wish to live together. However, if one spouse moves out, they will need to pay rent whilst, in all likelihood, still contributing to the mortgage of the marital home – something which can become extremely costly.

Where possible, leaving the marital home before or during a divorce could be a good idea. Although this may not create an ideal living situation, it will help to keep costs down.

In the same vein, the divorcing couple may wish to refrain from living with a new partner before the divorce is complete. Otherwise, this may result in the new partner’s income / assets being taken into account. 

Change your will

As soon as divorce proceedings begin, you should take a look at your will and amend it accordingly. If you own property on a joint tenancy basis, you should immediately contact a solicitor in order to change this to a basis of ‘tenants in common’ which will allow you to leave your share of the property to whoever you may choose.

Full disclosure

When a divorce is on the cards, some people find themselves tempted to ‘hide’ assets or wealth to keep it out of the hands of their soon to be ex-spouse. As well as being morally suspect, if you are found out, you will almost certainly end up paying significantly more as all finances will then need to be recalculated. 

Saving dosh on your divorce

A divorce is never going to be a pleasant experience, and it’s almost certainly not going to be a cheap one either. Having said that, the introduction of the no fault divorce law in the UK on the 6th of April 2022 means that a divorce no longer needs to be an epic drama.

By working together and being willing to communicate, a couple can now achieve a divorce in a relatively short time, saving on stress and solicitors’ fees. As mentioned in this article, there are also a few other things that you can look at to keep costs as low as possible. This will allow both parties to move on with their lives, with more left in their bank accounts.

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained legal professional. Be sure to consult a legal professional if you’re seeking advice about your divorce finances. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.

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