I often receive and welcome comments on this blog from readers looking for advice concerning their own situation. I always try to reply but it can become difficult to offer specific advice when I don’t have a fuller picture of their circumstances.
For example, in the past few days a reader called Lily has left the following request in the comments section of a post about my appearance on GMTV in early 2010.
“Hi! I need some information about financial settlement for divorce. I was married for 5 years and I left the marital home rented a new flat and took my 5 year old daughter with me. He was controlling and used to threaten me. It has been 1 year and a half that we are separated. The divorce is going through. I’m the petitioner and the judge agreed to unreasonable behaviour. Decree nisi will be granted tomorrow. The child contact it was agreed by the court through a contact order so he sees her every other weekend and half of school holidays. My question is he is saying he will not sign any clean break or any settlements. As I left home he says I’m not entitled to anything. But by law I know I am. The house is in his sole name. He used to pay the mortgage but I used to pay all the utility bills. When I left my solicitor put a charge on the house but I can’t afford solicitor no more, I don’t know what to do now. Do I have to apply to court to decide the financial bits? To be honest I’m not that interested in house but I’m worried that there was some debts in both names that not been paid. Thanks for your time.”
Sometimes I don’t have enough information to answer detailed questions from readers, but this one caught my eye and I can answer it on a general basis because what Lily wants is some general advice about what she can claim financially upon divorce. I’m happy to give her a reply and I intend to do so in a novel way for this blog.
On Wednesday 8th February I will be answering similar readers’ questions in real-time from 2pm to 4pm in our financial implications of divorce forum. If you have a general question concerning the subject that you would like answering, then please post it over the coming week, or during Wednesday afternoon. I won’t give you detailed advice as to what you should specifically settle for, or how to resolve your dispute with the CSA, because only a lawyer retained by you can provide such a level of professional support. But my advice is given entirely free of charge and without liability.
So I am happy to guide you and the rest of my readers along the journey and if you would like to write to me on that basis then I’m happy to provide an opinion.
Your questions could concern:
· Financing divorce proceedings and costs
. The process
. The Law
· Financial disclosure – pitfalls
· Maintenance arrangements, interim, term or lifetime
. The impact of cohabitation on maintenance
. Bankruptcy
. Pensions
. The division of Matrimonial and Non-matrimonial Assets such as inherited, and pre-acquired assets
. Trusts
. Children
It is a huge subject and understandably readers have their concerns. I look forward to your questions and will endeavour to answer all of them. Please pose all questions on the forum, as you are unable to comment on this post.
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