Here at rhw we often hear horror stories from clients about the dreaded ‘in-laws’ and the impact that they have had in their marriage. Interestingly, the national parenting phone help line has estimated that around 20% of their calls involve problems with in-laws because “either parent feels that in-laws are behaving negatively, helping too much […]
The concept of parental responsibility [PR] is defined as “the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority of a parent” (Children Act 1989). In other words, having parental rights for a child grants you the authority to act as a parent. PR allows you to make the following decisions (amongst others) in relation to your children: […]
What is a Separation Agreement and when would you use it? A Separation Agreement allows a couple to document and sort out their financial situation at the time that they agree to go their separate ways. The Agreement allows them to record who is to have what and hopefully avoid the necessity of expensive and […]
You’ve achieved your aim and secured a spousal maintenance or costs order from the court – end of story, happy ever after – right? But what if the debtor then doesn’t pay? What are your options? Set out below is a brief guide to the next steps and methods of enforcement available to you as […]
When you have taken the difficult step of deciding to divorce, working out your future arrangements for children, property, maintenance payments and shared business interests can lead to a great deal of anguish. If you have not come to an agreement by yourselves, it may well be in your interests to consider the alternate avenues […]
Going through a divorce is extremely stressful and it is important to ensure that you are getting support during a divorce, throughout the whole process. Everyone has their own ways of dealing with stress but the following are options should be considered to help with your emotional needs: 1. Family Support It will be very important […]
Some people might think it self-serving for a lawyer to say that a DIY divorce can be dangerous. However, having helped many clients who have encountered difficulties when representing themselves, this has led me to conclude that legal assistance in divorce proceedings is often a necessity. Whilst actually getting divorced can be relatively simple, there […]
Gifts & Loans to Children – Parents are often conscious of the difficulties their children face in getting onto the property ladder. As a result many parents give their children a helping hand by loaning or giving them money towards the purchase of a property. Anyone wishing to assist their child in purchasing a property […]
If you have young children you will, from time to time, have thought about what would happen to them in the event of your death. Most people assume that family members would step in to help out, but it can be unwise to assume that families will behave rationally in the aftermath of a sudden […]
Parental responsibility is a legal right held by the parents of a child. It includes the responsibility of providing a home for that child and the duty to protect and maintain the child. Parents with parental responsibility must decide on where the child is to be educated and are entitled to make decisions about any […]
As a parent, after your child is married it may seem like a good time to give them a financial contribution to help them onto the housing ladder or start a business. However, if their relationship later ends in divorce all their assets, including your generous gift, could be subject to division by the court […]
Learn more about per and post nuptial agreements Pre and post nuptial agreements (together called ‘nuptial agreements’) are agreements made either before or after marriage, setting out how the parties to a marriage will deal with some or all of their matrimonial assets. They are particularly useful for preserving assets that were acquired before marriage […]