To Divorce or not Divorce...that is the question

catflap11

I have recently separated from my wife (she no longer loves me etc etc) no one else is involved. We got married in the states 2 years ago (Las Vegas) but she didn't change her name and our bank accounts are separate, broadly nothing changed from when we were just "partners". She is 38 and I am 42 and we have no children

We didn't register our marriage in the UK although I do understand it is valid in the UK. The question I have is, is it worth us going through a divorce in the UK? I can't see me ever getting married again and I doubt she is bothered either, so should we almost pretend it never happened and move on?

Thanks in advance

tea_lover

If your marriage was valid in the US it's valid here, you don't register it.

Ask yourself - if you won the lottery tomorrow would you be happy with her having half? If you won the lottery in 10 years would you be happy with her having half? Would you be happy with her inheriting all your assets if you were to die?

You can't just pretend a marriage never happened, it's a legal contract.

Guest101

Get divorced, amicably and the cost is a court fee.


Stay married and you are financially linked.


Which is more expensive?

Andrew_Ryan_89

Get the divorce, especially if you own assets. If you get hit by a bus tomorrow, would you want everything to go to her?

catflap11

Thanks guys, neither of us have any assets to speak of and the cost of a divorce is more than we have put together! I only have elderly parents and no one else to speak of so I'm not concerned about her getting what little I have. Thanks for the advice

lika_86

Could you stand to inherit anything? If you inherited then she could divorce you in an attempt to claim half.

I'd at least try and unlink your finances, poor credit ratings and stuff on her part could impact you.

Although you can't foresee problems, they might arise and isn't it better to have them dealt with quickly and easily now?

justme111

What cost of divorceyou referring to?
In answer to your question- yes.

[Deleted User]

If you put away £5 a week each for 2 years, you'd have the fees and the grounds for divorce. It sounds like there's no rush, but a clean break would be good for the reasons Guest101 pointed out!

catflap11

Thanks, we have no financial links whatsoever, we rented our flat together and we have both moved to our own places so that connection is gone. We've never had mortgages, loans,bank accounts or cards together, to be honest we ran the house like housemates. I am not due any inheritances so that isn't an issue.

I'm just loathed to spend £550 to get rid of something that doesn't affect us. Sorry to show my ignorance but how could her credit rating affect me? we have had no financial links at all throughout our lives together.

tea_lover

You're totally not listening to what people are saying. YOU ARE FINANCIALLY LINKED. It doesn't matter whether you have joint accounts or mortgages or the like - while you are married you are financially linked.

catflap11

Thanks, I am listening, I'm just unclear what the financial links are, that's all I was looking for clarification on. Sorry to have annoyed you