Do I need a lawyer to sort out a financial settlement on separation or divorce?

Q. Do I need a lawyer to sort out a financial settlement on separation or divorce?

A. Strictly speaking, no you don’t. Many couples come to their own financial agreements, however, you should ask yourself whether you would service your own boiler, or re-wire your own house (hopefully the answer to both is no unless you’re a plumber or an electrician!) or do anything else that carries considerable risk. Problems can arise when parties reach an agreement between themselves without appropriate advice and without necessarily having sufficient regard to all their assets, particularly pensions, and how they will finance their respective futures. Getting a settlement right requires knowledge and expertise as there are many pitfalls to avoid. One party may accept less than they are entitled to, perhaps to keep the peace, but later regret this if they discover it has left them severely financially disadvantaged. Sometimes bad financial settlements simply cannot be put right. To help you avoid such pitfalls, we offer an initial consultation to talk to one of our highly qualified family law specialists for just £250 + VAT. Our family team are able to offer video or telephone consultations for advice and support about your situation.