January is traditionally the time when people take stock of their lives and start to take the steps they need to make changes for the future. This is therefore often the time that people seek advice about separation and divorce/dissolution.
If you are thinking about separating from your partner, or your partner is wanting to separate, the best thing to do initially is to take some legal advice about your position and the various options available.
Seeing a lawyer doesn’t need to be intimidating or daunting experience for you. If you meet with a specialist family lawyer then they will have experience in dealing with matters in a sensitive and sympathic way.
Family lawyers who are members of Resolution [http://www.resolution.org.uk//] will have specialist training and be committed to the constructive resolution of family issues and will also follow a Code of Practice that promotes a non-confrontational approach and encourages solutions that consider the needs of the whole family, in particular the best interests of any children.
All the Family lawyers here at Mayo Wynne Baxter adhere to the code of practice set down by Resolution and provide specific, tailored advice to every individual client. They work closely with other professionals such as relationship counsellors, therapists, life coaches, financial advisers and tax specialists to ensure all your needs can be met.
It is not at all uncommon for people to see a family lawyer for the first time completely unprepared. However, to help put you at ease and to also ensure that you get the most out of any initial consultation with a family lawyer it may assist you prior to the meeting, only if you can and feel able, to:
- Make a list of your major areas of concern.
- Make a list of questions you want to ask.
- If you own any property try to get an informal valuation or a rough guide of the value. See if you can find out whether the house is owned by you and your partner jointly or in the sole name of one of you. It is always helpful to know whether there are any mortgages or secured loans and, if so, how much is outstanding, whether there are penalties etc.
- Ascertain the up-to-date value of any savings. Find out the balances of any accounts at your banks and building societies.
- Get details of any pension schemes.
- Make a note of your debts e.g. bank overdraft, credit cards, unsecured loans.
- Make a note of your current net income, including any child benefits or tax credits you may receive.
- Finally, make a note of the full names, ages, dates of birth of you, your partner and any children; the date you started to live together with your partner and (if applicable) the date of your marriage/civil partnership and the date of any separation.
By Gemma Hope
