Do I need a lawyer to sort out a financial settlement on separation or divorce? Hegarty Solicitors answers your legal questions
Every week, Hegarty Solicitors, which has branches in Stamford and Oakham, answers your legal questions.
This week, you're asking: Do I need a lawyer to sort out a financial settlement on separation or divorce?
And the answer from Julia Weber at Hegarty Solicitors?
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 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 £150 + VAT. Our family team are able to offer video or telephone consultations for advice and support about your situation.
For further information regarding any family law matter, please call our Oakham office on 01572 757565 or our Stamford office on 01780 752066 or email julia.weber@hegarty.co.uk.