I do vs I do not!
At Vardags we act for our clients on a day to day basis through some of the most challenging matrimonial situations that can arise. From a client’s desire not to Divorce but to Judicially Separate due to religious reasons right through to a marriage saved by a carefully drafted post-nuptial agreement seeking to deliver financial security for the less well-off homemaker. It is fair to say at Vardags, that we have experienced it all when it comes to family law
When dealing with the breakdown of relationships and the all too often acrimonious divorce, one is reminded of the difficulties that young couples today face when deciding whether to marry or not.
In the years gone by we have witnessed a real shift in public perception against marital union in favour of cohabitation. So much so that the Office for National Statistics has recently reported that in 2011, 38% of unmarried cohabiting families had dependent children. Comparably, this is the same percentage of dependants to married couple families – a real change from decades gone by.
It is quite clear that there is a real trend for individuals to opt out of wedlock and as highlighted by an article in Family Relations Journal, young couples are refusing to legally commit due to the fear of marital breakdown and divorce. Since 2001, the number of cohabiting couple families has dramatically risen from 2.1 million to 2.9 million since 2001. In support of these figures, Vardags have seen an increase in Schedule 1 Applications and have successfully secured financial provision for numerous unmarried single parents who wish to adequately provide for the care of their child through family law
For those young professionals and high profile individuals who still have their hearts set on marital bliss, it now comes at what some might call a contracted price. Having succeeded in changing the law by persuading 8 Supreme Court Judges that pre-nuptial Agreements should be binding, subject to being deemed fair, we at Vardags, strongly believe that in the right circumstances the insurance of a pre-nuptial Agreement is really the best legal option to take.
Young high net worth individuals now seek the protection of their inherited or pre-acquired wealth from division upon divorce by utilising the vehicle of such agreement. Our clients are no longer satisfied that the only option of protection should be to unromantically opt out of marriage altogether and are now signing up to legal agreements with vigour.
At Vardags no client is ever the same and it is never just a case of rushing to the courts.
We work closely with our clients to determine the most appropriate avenue for them and work hard to ensure that a particular course of action fits. There is often a full package of solutions to matrimonial difficulties and divorce is of course only one.
If you would like to know about your rights, please do not hesitate to contact Vardags on 0207 404 9390