Family

New and existing relationships

Increasingly, financially aware couples are taking steps to regulate as far as possible what should happen to their respective assets if their relationship comes to an end.

Such measures can reduce the scope and cost of any later dispute.  They also enable productive discussion between partners or spouses as to what they would each want to achieve on separation, without the emotional strains which are inevitably present when separation does occur. 

Our practice in this area includes:

• Pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, most commonly made by:
  • Couples marrying for the second time who have children from previous relationships and thus responsibilities outside the marriage
  • Children of wealthy families wishing to regulate what should happen on separation if they receive significant gifts from family members
  • Couples for whom there is a significant disparity in wealth
  • Couples with international assets and interests
• Living together agreements, regulating financial arrangements and property ownership for unmarried couples who would otherwise have limited rights
• Declarations of trust, confirming how sale proceeds of solely or jointly owned property will be divided (e.g. protecting a deposit paid by one owner)

Our specialists in these areas are Victoria Daniell, Sally Orme and Sarah Lister, working with the firm’s Estate Planning & Tax department.