Whenever you get married, there’s a tendency to believe that your union will last forever, but the evidence suggests that this isn’t the case for all cases of matrimony.
In fact, the estimated divorce rate in the UK is 42%, with more than 100,000 British couples getting a divorce as recently as 2019. Of course, the expectations associated with marriage and the heartache caused by their collapse can trigger incredibly high emotions, making it hard to divorce amicably or deal with the breakup in a grown-up or reasonable manner.
In this post, we’ll look at what happens to shared items in the wake of a divorce, by appraising specific circumstances and how couples should react.
#1. Houses
If you rent a property, you may find that one side of a couple moves out prior to a divorce being confirmed.
In this case, the focus should be on the continued payment of shared bills and rent payments for a predetermined period of time, particularly if children also reside in the property.
If you own a home, much will depend on the ownership structure and the title deeds. You’ll also have to determine who’s residing in the home until the divorce is finalised, while also detailing the fair distribution of funds once the asset is eventually sold.
#2. Special Collector’s Items
The same principle applies to cars, but the concept can become a little more complex when dealing with high value, special collector’s items.
In some cases, the item in question may not be shared at all, in which case the owner may have to provide ownership documents and proof of the initial payment and purchase.
If this can’t be provided, there may be a joint claim on the item, at which point mediation may be required to solve the issue.
This is often the best course of action in instances where there’s a great deal of acrimony or anger within the relationship, although it may also provide a proactive solution when looking to avoid conflict in the first place.
#3. Pets
Now for something that will be particularly emotive, with our beloved pets often part of a close family unit and considered by many to be a de facto child.
Of course, if you bought the pet as a couple to serve as a physical manifestation of your love, you’ll ideally be able to determine which of you is best placed to care for the pet in question and move forward from there.
Mediation may also be an option here, but what about instances where the pet is brought into a couple by one partner or the other? According to global law firm Withers, many couples opt for a ‘pet-nup’. This would be in the best interests of the animal in question, as dictates who will care for the pet in the event of a breakup.
This may seem a little extreme, but it may prevent a great deal of aggravation and conflict in the future.
Breaking up and divorcing the person you were meant to spend the rest of your life is an unfortunate affair. Making sure that you deal with the aforementioned proceedings accordingly just means some of the added unnecessary stress may be lifted, making things a little easier to manage.