Splitting Bank A/cs on Marriage Separation

david39

Apologies if this is not the correct forum but it seemed the only appropriate one - please transfer elsewhere if posted in the wrong place,

My daughter and husband are making a legal separation. She has taken legal advice and is acting accordingly. However, she seems to be getting conflicting views as to how money in bank accounts is split.

Her husband and she have no joint bank accounts, so any money in banks is held in their individual names. The general advice from a popular website suggests that, if this is the case, neither partner have any claim on the money in the other's account.

Specifically for normal savings and current accounts, is this correct?

If it isn't, and her main account fluctuates between £0 and £2000 during a month depending on when her salary is received, how is the date arrived at on which the split is to be made? Clearly this could make a difference of £1000 or so on the money she keeps.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have.

snowgo

I think you are unnecessarily focusing on a specific date issue. There are two ways of dividing assets when a couple separate/divorce. These are by agreement or through the courts. It is easy to spend a lot of money in legal fees if going through the courts, so the general recommendation is to try and come to an agreement with your ex-partner. Unless there are children involved, or the parties are very rich, then coming to an agreement is by far the best way. They could agree to just each keep what is in their individual bank accounts and then negotiate splitting up other assets (car, furniture, etc) as seems fit. But if one party doesn't agree with the other, then that person could take it through a legal process.