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Mind the gap – sharing pension assets on divorce Mind the gap – sharing pension assets on divorce

Legal Articles

Mar 24

Mind the gap – sharing pension assets on divorce

Pension assets will often be one of the most substantial assets on divorce or partnership breakdown and can often be as valuable as the equity in the family home (and...

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Jan 24

Travelling abroad with children – a guide for separated parents

Taking your child on a holiday abroad is not always as simple as booking, paying for the holiday and enjoying the countdown. If you are separated from the child’s other...

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Jan 24

Getting a fair share on divorce

On 1 November 2023, the Nuffield Foundation released its final report on 'Fair Shares? Sorting out money and property on divorce'. This major research project, involving a survey of 2,415...

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Jan 24

An employer’s guide to taking grievances seriously

Dealing with employee grievances can sometimes seem like a thankless drain on a business’s management and resources. But a prompt investigation could uncover inappropriate behaviour or poor management that needs...

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Jan 24

How to protect yourself online during your divorce

January has long been reported as seeing an increase in new divorce enquiries following the festive period and the welcoming of a new year. In recent years, technology has further...

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Dec 23

Separated parents – top tips to help families during the festive period

As Christmas approaches, we all start to think about our plans for the festive period. Often these plans centre around family. This can be a stressful time with 101 things...

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Nov 23

Why should you consider having a cohabitation agreement?

Family law specialist Ellie Foster at Raworths discusses cohabitation agreements and why you should consider one if you live with your partner. The number of cohabiting couples (both opposite-sex and...

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Oct 23

The Inheritance (warning, may contain spoilers)

When you think of depictions of law on TV you might probably think of a gritty court room drama, however Channel 5 recently brought us "The Inheritance" dealing with death...

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Oct 23

Employers’ guide to dyslexia in the workplace

‘One in ten people are estimated to have dyslexia according to the British Dyslexia Association,’ says Sally Togher, Head of Employment at Raworths.    ‘Dyslexia awareness week runs from 2 -...

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Aug 23

Talking ‘off the record’ and settlement agreements

Using a settlement agreement to bring an employment relationship to an end, and effectively wipe the slate clean, can be very useful. But, to start the conversation, employers need to...

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Jun 23

Are Humanist Marriages Legally Valid?

The law in England and Wales permits both civil marriage and religious marriage. However, there is no specific provision for marriages to be conducted according to any other system of...

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Jun 23

Surrogacy – time for a change

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of children being born to a Surrogate. Sadly, surrogacy laws have failed to keep pace. As a result, the...

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Jun 23

Raworths’ strategic growth continues with new partner further strengthening private client team

Rachel Mainwaring-Taylor has been appointed as a partner in Raworths’ Trusts, Wills and Estates team. Rachel joins from Farrer & Co in London having developed an unusually broad range of...

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Jun 23

Divorce Leave Scheme proposals – what employers need to know

Many people have experienced a relationship breakdown, be it separation or a divorce, often with significant personal consequences.  It is understandable therefore that this time can be upsetting, stressful, emotionally...

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Jun 23

Raworths’ Head of Family recognised for her specialism in family law

Carmelita Ardren, Head of Family at Raworths, has been recognised once again by a leading national organisation, Resolution, for her specialism in family law in the resolution of complex financial...

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Jun 23

Getting employees back to the office

According to the Office for National Statistics, before the Covid pandemic only one in eight working adults reported working from home at least once during the previous seven days. This...

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May 23

Spring employment law round up

Other than the usual April updates to statutory rates, it looks deceptively quiet on the regulatory front for employers. But the end of the year could see the biggest shake-up...

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Apr 23

Pensions and divorce

The treatment of pensions on divorce can be a complex area to navigate.  This is exacerbated if either or both of the parties to a divorce has associated potential or...

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Apr 23

50 years on: a review of the law of finances on divorce

Following the very welcome introduction of ‘no fault divorce’ in April 2022, the government has now asked the Law Commission to review the legislation that governs how a couple’s financial...

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Mar 23

Cohabitation: the case for reform

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has recently released an interesting analysis of data extracted from the 2021 Census regarding relationship status. The key themes from the report include the...

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Mar 23

Set aside: Right outcome, wrong route?

This article written by Ellie Foster, Legal Director, Family team at Raworths Solicitors was first published in January 2023 in Family Law Journal (Legalease) www.lawjournals.co.uk In Goodyear, it was necessary...

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Feb 23

Capital gains tax treatment of assets on divorce

Ellie Foster is a Legal Director in the Family team at Raworths.  In this article Ellie looks at the draft legislation recently published by the government relating to proposed changes...

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Feb 23

Problems in performance management

Performance management can be distracting, challenging and time-consuming,according to Deborah Boylan, Partner and Head of Employment at Raworths. The first challenge is to determine if this is a capability issue...

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Jan 23

What employers need to know about hidden disabilities

Have you ever spotted someone wearing a lanyard with a sunflower as a means of indicating that they have a non-visible disability (also known as a hidden or invisible disability)?...

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Nov 22

Autumn Statement 2022

Alison Walker, Partner at Raworths Solicitors, and a STEP-qualified Solicitor and Chartered Tax Advisor, comments on the Autumn Statement 2022 (delivered on 17 November 2022) Today’s Autumn Statement has been...

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Nov 22

Employee monitoring: an employer’s guide

Recent advances in technology mean that there are now numerous ways to monitor employees, including via a webcam on staff computers or by checking browser histories, email content and phone...

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Nov 22

How easy is it to challenge a will based upon lack of mental capacity?

Following the death of a loved one, additional upset can be caused by a challenge to the validity of the will by a disappointed beneficiary on the basis that the...

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Sep 22

English pension orders following an overseas divorce

English pension orders following an overseas divorce An article written by Ellie Foster, Legal Director, Family team at Raworths Solicitors which was first published in May 2022 in International Family...

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Jun 22

The challenge of estate planning in the face of ongoing Covid-19 delays

Although the UK is slowly returning to some degree of normality, significant backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to plague several key estate planning organisations. The importance of putting...

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May 22

Holiday travel advice for separated parents

I think we can all agree, the ability to travel abroad for a spot of summer sun has been a long time coming following our enforced staycations of the last...

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Apr 22

No Fault Divorce – update from 6 April 2022

Having recently had the opportunity to watch the BBC drama “The Split” I found that it highlighted the concerns that many family lawyers have had for a number of years,...

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Mar 22

“I’ve been left a gift in a Will – but I don’t want it”

It might not be often you hear those words but that’s exactly what Rhona said on Emmerdale on Monday (28 February). Upon hearing that her abusive deceased ex-husband Pierce had...

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Mar 22

Child Maintenance – things you should know

Child maintenance is something all parents going through a separation need to deal with, regardless of whether you are married or cohabiting. If you are married, then you have a...

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Dec 21

Can I find out why I have been disinherited?

When a good friend, relative or loved one passes away, it is not uncommon for many to contemplate what decisions the Deceased may have made as to the ultimate destination...

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Nov 21

Navigating your way through divorce

No one enters a marriage with an eye on the emergency exit but if it does happen, there are ways to minimise the pain. At risk of stating the obvious...

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Nov 21

Getting a pension health check

A recent decision by the Pensions Ombudsman has again highlighted the sometimes precarious financial position occupied by cohabiting couples and their relative lack of rights compared to their married counterparts....

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Sep 21

Who gets the dog on divorce?

We’re a nation of animal lovers and if press reports are anything to be believed, this has been illustrated clearly in lockdown, with many households succumbing to the temptation of...

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Sep 21

Pensions and Divorce

A new report has again highlighted the gender inequality in pension wealth and its potential impact on pension outcomes on divorce. The Manchester Institute for Collaborative Research on Ageing (MICRA),...

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Sep 21

Proposed modernisation of the Child Maintenance Service

Child maintenance can be a tricky issue and is something that can cause a lot of confusion for separating parents, particularly the interaction between the court and the Child Maintenance...

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Aug 21

Bailment: landlords and leftover property

Outgoing tenants often leave property behind at the end of their tenancy and this can create several considerations for landlords: do they have to store these items, and if so...

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Jul 21

No Fault Divorce Delayed

As my colleague Ellie Foster explained in her article No Fault Divorce earlier this year, the Government announced a new law on ‘no-fault’ divorce to come into effect this October...

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Jun 21

Is it worth paying for a private Financial Dispute Resolution?

For most people, (particularly those without children), one of the most important stages of a separation is the financial settlement. When managed badly it can fuel acrimony and dispute, cause...

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Apr 21

Understanding the importance of pensions during divorce

As my colleague Claire Hunter explained in her article here ("what will happen to my pension during divorce"), pensions can be some of the most valuable assets in a marriage...

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Mar 21

No Fault Divorce

It’s a common misconception with divorcing couples that if one party can blame the other for the breakdown of the marriage then they will be entitled to a greater share...

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Jan 21

How to manage your personal belongings in your will

Should have put a name on it!   How to manage your personal belongings in your will When preparing your Will you might not have considered who your personal belongings (also known...

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Jan 21

Raworths Family Unit marks the new year with a senior appointment

Raworths Solicitors has added a new senior role to its Family Unit as the team responds to increased demand for its services.  Ellie Foster joins the respected law firm as...

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Nov 20

Unmarried couples who are separating – what happens to your property?

When deciding to live together, understandably many unmarried couples do not think about what would happen with their property if their relationship came to an end. However, when relationships do...

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Oct 20

We need to talk about….death

At the outbreak of covid-19, there was some surprise that the government included solicitors specialising in wills on the list of key workers, but in those early months we were...

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Oct 20

Selling your home? Make sure you’re ready!

The stamp duty holiday has led to a surge in activity for the housing market in the last few months. Whilst this activity has been welcomed in the aftermath of...

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Jul 20

It shouldn’t take a pandemic to make you think about your Will

Katie Watts explains why everyone should have this important document in place. The current coronavirus pandemic and enforced lockdown have given some people the time to think about putting their...

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Jun 20

Providing for your pets The Aristocats way!

I’m spending lockdown with a toddler which means constantly being on the go and coming up with ways to entertain him. We’re trying to make lots of nice memories as...

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Apr 20

Changes to the Intestacy Provisions – the consequences of not making a Will

The ‘Intestacy Provisions’ are a set of rules which set out how your estate will be divided amongst your relatives if you die without making a Will. These rules essentially...

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Apr 20

Entrepreneurs’ Relief – an update

The Budget 2020 on 11 March seems like a lifetime ago, despite being only last month. One of the biggest changes introduced by the Budget was to Entrepreneurs’ Relief, which,...

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Apr 20

Testamentary freedom in soapland

If like most people you are in social isolation at the moment, you may have been using this time to catch up on the latest storylines in the soap world....

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Feb 20

The rise of the blended family: how to plan for the future

In recent years, the term blended families has had increased media exposure. Blended families occur when two people get married, perhaps for the second or third time, usually later in...

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Feb 20

What is collaborative law and could it work for me? A Royal solution.

Collaborative Law, as the name implies, means working with a former partner towards a common goal, rather than approaching matters in a positional and adversarial way. Trying to reach an...

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Feb 20

But you promised me the farm… avoiding family conflict in a farming business

As head of a family farming business one would imagine you had already planned for succession by making a will, having a business structure in place and ensuring that the...

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Jan 20

Family Mediation – what is it?

During Family Mediation Week (20-24 January 2020) Jo Lofthouse looks at the role Mediation can play in a divorce During the first couple of months of a New Year, many...

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Jan 20

Future Proofing your Mental Capacity

Mental capacity is in the news a lot, whether it’s a discussion about our ageing population or an increase in people living with dementia. But is there anything you can...

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