You need to protect your interests before you enter into a marriage or divorce. You also need to think about protecting your interests if you are living with a partner.
This will ensure that you have legal ground to stand on in the event of separation. People will have a much easier separation when they know that their assets are being protected by the laws that govern the United Kingdom.
How can you protect your interests in a relationship situation?
1) You Can Sign A Pre-Nuptial Agreement
When you are getting married, you can enlist the help of Yorkshire Solicitors in protecting your existing and future assets. A lawyer will make you aware of the different ways that you can protect yourself in this situation:
- You can prevent your partner from claiming half of your pension
- You can prevent your partner from claiming half of the stocks and shares that you own
- You can prevent your partner from claiming a portion of your income
This prenuptial agreement needs to be signed by both people in the relationship for it to be valid. This is going to be an important document if you happen to separate in the future.
A lawyer will help you to craft the prenuptial agreement and then they will oversee the signing. This is going to be a straightforward process once the lawyer has been hired.
2) It Is A Good Idea To Sign A Co-Habitation Agreement
A cohabitation agreement is for people who are living together but are not married. This is similar to the prenuptial agreement in that married couples enter into.
This is going to set out the financial agreements between the two people in the relationship. Otherwise, the financial situation between two unmarried people can be uncertain if the relationship happens to break down.
A lawyer will help to draft a document that both parties are completely happy with. Both people will be able to sign the document so that it becomes legal.
3) You Should Think About A Post-Nuptial Agreement
People might not want to sign a prenuptial agreement before the wedding ceremony. This is something that you will need to discuss with your partner. Instead, you can sign an agreement after you get married.
This will give you more time to draft the document with the help of a solicitor and discuss all the possibilities with your partner. This ensures that both of you are going to be comfortable with what is included in the document.
4) You Can Sign A Separation Agreement
A separation agreement occurs when two people want to end their relationship but they still want to remain legally married. A lawyer will help you to draft a document that is agreeable to both parties. This will cover everything from the division of property to the care of children that have been produced as a result.
Conclusion
There is a range of documents that can be signed to protect you when you are entering into or breaking up a relationship. The process can be handled by a solicitor.
