According to the statistics for the fourth year running those in their twenties have the highest divorce rate of any age group. What difficulties do you face if you are young and your marriage has ended?

Most of those divorcing in their

According to the statistics for the fourth year running those in their twenties have the highest divorce rate of any age group. What difficulties do you face if you are young and your marriage has ended?

Most of those divorcing in their twenties are unlikely to have been married for very long before their marriage sadly ended. It should be noted that a divorce petition cannot be issued until the couple have been married for at least a year and one day. If you have been married for less time you will need to wait before you can start divorce proceedings.

Many of those divorcing in their twenties do not have children and often do not have any financial assets of significance. Although they may own a house with their spouse there is often very little equity in the property (particularly in the current housing market). In light of this those divorcing in their twenties often find the legal process involved with their divorce very straight forward.

I am often asked if a financial order on divorce is necessary if there are no assets. The simple anser is yes as the divorce itself does not give any financial protection for the future. Until there is a financial order made within divorce proceedings either spouse can make a financial claim against the other in the future. This is something that most people will want to prevent, especially if they are at the beginning of what will hopefully be a successful career.

If there are few or no financial assets and no children, the financial order needed should be very straight forward for a specialist family lawyer to draft. The cost of obtaining a divorce and a financial order in these circumstances should not be prohibitive and will certainly be money well spent given the financial protection that it will afford you in the future.

If you have any queries regarding the above or any other family law matters please contact one of the solicitors in the Pannone's specialist family law team in Manchester, Hale or Alderley Edge (details on the website).

Contact: Fiona Wood

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