For many Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be a time which causes great pressure on relationships both emotionally and financially. Arguments/tensions can arise over festive spending, particularly in the cost of living crisis, as well as about the split of time between family members. Couples may suffer from burnout from squeezing in seeing friends and family, work nights out and celebrations. Often, this can become the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Some couples may have decided to end their relationship before Christmas, but seek to “put on a front” in front of the children to not “spoil” one last Christmas as a family.
Once the festivities are over, decorations packed away and the January blues have kicked in, tensions which may have risen to the surface during the festive break may lead to couples feeling that they cannot simply “return to normal”.
Separation and divorce are life-changing decisions, but often parties may wish to enter a new year, without continuing in an unhappy relationship. It is no surprise that the media often report on a surge in enquiries and divorce applications after the Christmas break, in particular today – 2nd January.
In recent years the cost of living has played a key role in how people navigate their divorce, and with the increasing number of couples opting for DIY divorces. Whilst many believe this to be a simpler and much cheaper option, DIY divorces are fraught with difficulty and often end with couples facing increased costs to put right errors made in completing the process themselves.
Couples often consider their divorce to be “simple” or “straightforward” but may not have considered issues such as pension entitlements, transfers of property or spousal maintenance. As such, whilst, instructing a specialist family lawyer for a divorce may seem counter-intuitive when you can do it yourself, the ‘cheap’ and ‘quick’ route is not always appropriate. Family lawyers will provide tailored advice to help you navigate the financial consequences arising out of your separation helping you to understand your entitlements as well as what can and cannot be achieved
Our team strive to resolve matters outside of court to achieve a fair and amicable settlement, however, in circumstances where this is not possible, we will guide you through the court process.
If you are currently considering divorce and separation, our specialist family team are available to speak to you in confidence. Please get in touch with Catherine Lowther at cel@swinburnemaddison.co.uk or Ellie Straughan at els@swinburnemaddison.co.uk, or call our team on 0191 384 2441.
This article is for general information only. It does not and is not intended to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changed since this article was published and we would always recommend that you seek specific advice on any particular legal issue.
