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

Gloomendoom

catflap11 wrote: »

I am 42 and we have no children I can't see me ever getting married again

Sounds like my story at 42.

I'm now married again.

tea_lover

You're right in that there isn't a clear link there if you haven't ever had joint accounts etc. But while you remain married there is a clear potential for things like inheritance, house purchases, pensions, windfalls, etc to become muddied (for want of a better word) by someone else having a potential claim on them. Why would you want that with someone you're no longer in a relationship with?

You're leaving yourself in limbo.

Sambella

catflap11 wrote: »

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

Well ... assets, house, savings, pension., debts...

Should she fall in hard times you may up paying her spousal maintenance .

That £550 could be well worth it. :cool:

bouicca21

Personally I don't see a problem staying married as long as you are aware that certain events - inheritance by you, your and her assets at your own deaths, your and her pensions - will remain linked.

It seems unlikely to me that either of you could claim to be a dependant of the other so you are almost certainly able to dispose of your assets at death by will. Without a will she will inherit under intestacy rules. Do you want her to be able to claim a widow's pension when you die (and vice versa); what about death in service benefits? Do you want her to be your next of kin if you become seriously ill (and vice versa)?

And given your ages there really is a long future ahead. Can you really envisage all the changes in circumstances that might happen?

catflap11

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Sounds like my story at 42.

I'm now married again.

tea_lover wrote: »

You're right in that there isn't a clear link there if you haven't ever had joint accounts etc. But while you remain married there is a clear potential for things like inheritance, house purchases, pensions, windfalls, etc to become muddied (for want of a better word) by someone else having a potential claim on them. Why would you want that with someone you're no longer in a relationship with?

You're leaving yourself in limbo.

Thanks, I'm not being obtuse, but honestly none of those things will affect us, other than parents neither of us have family. I'm not trying to avoid going through the process but I'm just weighing up the pros and cons at this stage.

catflap11

Sambella wrote: »

Well ... assets, house, savings, pension., debts...

Should she fall in hard times you may up paying her spousal maintenance .

That £550 could be well worth it. :cool:

Thanks, but I don't have any of those things

tea_lover

catflap11 wrote: »

Thanks, I'm not being obtuse, but honestly none of those things will affect us, other than parents neither of us have family. I'm not trying to avoid going through the process but I'm just weighing up the pros and cons at this stage.

So at the age of 42 you know with absolute certainly that you're never going to buy a house, win any money, have a workplace pension, etc?

Sambella

Honestly you would be foolish not to. Safeguard your future if nothing else. A nice clean break.

catflap11

tea_lover wrote: »

So at the age of 42 you know with absolute certainly that you're never going to buy a house, win any money, have a workplace pension, etc?

I can't afford a house, I don't gamble or do the lottery and I've opted out of my workplace pension, I'm really not trying to be difficult but unless some kind of miracle occurs I really cant see my life changing. I really do appreciate the assistance and feedback, but I just want to make sure I'm not throwing money away on something that is unlikely to affect me in any significant way.

Guest101

How about debts. Do you want to be paying off any debts she gets into?