Will a divorce be costly?

TBagpuss

thorsoak said:

My understanding is that if a marriage is less than 5 years before divorce proceedings start, the financial position goes back to that of each person prior to the marriage.     This may no longer be the case - but check it out.

There is no hard and fast rule, nor has there ever been.

In all cases the law is the same, which is that the Court must try to make a financial settlement which is fair and reasonable in all the circumstances.

The length of the marriage (including any cohabitation before the wedding) is one of the circumstances which is relevant and in a short, childless marriage it is often going to be fair and reasonable for the parties to each take out what they put in, but there may be cases where that would not be fair (for instance, if one party gave up a secure  home or job and is therefore worse off as a result of the marriage, it may not be fair to say that they get nothing)