Where do you start?

It is possible for either party to apply for financial orders, it does not need to be the applicant for the divorce/dissolution proceedings, so you can apply as soon as the proceedings are commenced.

The first thing to look at are the financial assets of your partnership. The Money Advice Service website has an online calculator which will, amongst other things, help you create scenarios for splitting what you have. Next, as this is a fairly complex are of law, it would be very wise to talk to a solicitor to get some basic advice – with Routh Clarke this initial chat is free. If your joint financial situation is fairly limited, there will be little debate on how it should be split and you may be able to agree a way forward with your partner, perhaps through mediation if communication is difficult. If you can agree terms, this can be made legally binding with a consent order.

What if you can't agree?

If you are unable to agree how your finances should be divided, even with mediation, it will be necessary to obtain a financial order. Although it is possible to do this as a Litigant-In-Person, we would recommend you use the services of a solicitor. The proceedings for financial orders are much less straightforward than the proceedings for a divorce, due to the large number of different orders that could be obtained. The more complex your financial affairs, the more wise it will be to speak to a solicitor early in the divorce process, to ensure you get as fair a deal as possible. They should advise you on the how the court deals with financial orders, the specific financial orders you should apply for, the protocol that will be used throughout the matter and if necessary the procedure for obtaining a financial order through the Courts.