Life, love and the law

More and more unmarried couples and friends are buying houses together, but the move comes with potentially serious financial risks.  In this episode, Matt & Liza explain the importance of how a property is legally owned, the risks unmarried couples face and the legal options available to protect yourself financially if the love bubble bursts.   From Joint Tenants to a Declaration of Trust, th...

Going to the family court can be overwhelming, and cause high levels of stress, fear and confusion. Learning how to prepare and understand what will happen can help reduce anxiety and build resilience to navigate the day and deal with unexpected issues along the way. Leading divorce consultant Rhiannon Ford joined hosts Matt & Liza for this episode to share her tips and advice on how to prepar...

Debts can add a layer of extra stress and complication to couples trying to navigate a divorce. What happens if one person builds up debt during the marriage? Who is responsible for the debt? What about loans from the bank of Mum & Dad?  In this episode, Matt & Liza explore the role of debt in divorce, the different types of debt and how they are viewed, who has responsibility for debits,...

Inheritance can be one of the most emotive and complex elements of a financial settlement in divorce.  So how is it usually dealt with? The bottom line is that inheritance isn't always safe in divorce, and there's no simple yes or no answer.  In this episode, hosts Matt & Liza explore the tricky issue of inheritance and divorce, how the family court considers it and different ways to...

Parental responsibility is a legal term that covers the rights of a parent to be involved in making decisions in the best interests of their children.  But it’s not just about Mum and Dad - it's possible for someone to have parental responsibility for a child without being their legal parent, and for a legal parent to not have parental responsibility. In this episode, hosts Matt & Liza br...

Domestic abuse is complex, multi-layered, and all consuming for survivors. For those in minority communities, it can present further unique challenges that need specialist support.  Domestic Abuse Consultant, specialising in post-separation abuse and creator of You Don’t Own Me, Lucy Wade joined us to share her knowledge of the challenges faced by survivors of abuse in minority communities, and wh...

Abusive relationships rarely start abusive. Instead, they build up over, slowly, over time, gradually changing the survivors perception of reality and sense of self.   As our guest for this episode, domestic abuse expert and coach, Caron Kipping says: “If someone punched you in the face on your first date,  would you go back for a second date?” The answer is an obvious no, but domestic abuse slowl...

In most divorces, couples face challenges around the mortgage. From who will pay for it whilst you separate, to working out mortgage affordability for your next home.  And with interest rates still high, a growing housing crisis and an expert predicted rocky 12-18 months ahead, we asked Charlotte Tollitt, a Mortgage Broker from Meet Margo , to join us to talk about all things mortgage and divorce....

The gasp factor, what should be the real headline of financial abuse, things must change and our collective responsibility… We’re back for season 6 as we welcome leading 4PB Barrister Anita Mehta, who juggles a busy practice of complex financial remedy and children disputes with lecturing, writing and podcasting to look at how domestic abuse plays out in financial proceedings. Co-author of the rec...

In April 2024, changes were made to the Family Procedure Rules to encourage more people to use non-court-based methods to resolve financial issues arising from divorce or over their children.  Matt & Liza discuss these changes and share their (sometimes very different) opinions on what they think about the changes, and what does it actually mean for separating couples? 00:30 What are the Famil...

In the first of this two-parter episode, Matt and Liza were delighted to be joined again by Dr Supriya McKenna, one of the leading experts in the field of narcissism, to discuss how to prepare to leave a narcissist. Dr Supriya shares her deep knowledge of narcissism, why it is harder to leave one, including hoovering and gaslighting, finding the right lawyer, and practical tips on the preparations...

In the second part of this episode, Dr Supriya McKenna, a highly experienced specialist narcissism expert, continues to share her advice and practical tools and techniques to help people prepare to leave a narcissist. (You can access the first part of this episode here. ) We pick the conversation back up as Dr Supriyas shares her advice on preparing financially, before exploring how to stay safe o...

In this bite size episode, hosts Matt & Liza turn their attention to another popular question that clients frequently ask: How much does it cost to get divorced?  They talk through typical costs, the different ways to reduce costs, for example reaching agreement together or using mediation, and what you can do personally to save money during the process.  All in just under 8 minutes. 00:33 The...

In this bite size episode, hosts Matt & Liza turn their attention to a popular question they hear from many of their clients: How long does it take to get divorced?  They talk through the process, how long it takes, the impact of the family court, the myth of the quickie divorce, before closing on their top tips to help speed up the process as much as possible.  All in just under 8 minutes.  0...

In this episode, hosts Matt & Liza explore what options are available for people if their ex-partner will not respond to the initial divorce application, refuses to disclose any information, or provides incorrect or misses details when trying to resolve finances.  They dive into your legal options so you can progress your divorce, how to track down a missing ex, the role the family court can p...

Narcissism has become a popular buzzword.  But despite the interest, there are many myths that undermine the complexity and destructive impact of this personality disorder. We were delighted to be joined again by Dr Supriya McKenna, one of the leading experts in the field of narcissism, to discuss how you can tell if you are in a relationship with a ‘real’ narcissist, and why knowing this is so im...

High-net-worth divorce brings its own unique challenges, especially around understanding, valuing and dividing complex earning structures, assets and pensions, often with international elements.  In this episode, Ceri Griffiths a chartered financial planner specialising in supporting women divorcing high earners shares her advice on how to navigate the unique issues that high-net-worth divorce can...

You may have made the decision, or had it made for you, but however you arrived at the moment, facing a divorce can be daunting So what should you do first? In this episode, family lawyers and hosts Matt & Liza share their tips on the most important things to do and consider before getting a divorce. 00:00 Introductions 01:00 The different scenarios 01:10 The first thing to do is take your tim...

It is normal to face challenges in a relationship, but what happens when one, or both people, completely disconnects and thoughts turn to leaving? How do you know the right time to end a relationship? In this episode, divorce coach Dr. Sue Palmer-Conn joined us to discuss the challenging question of whether to stay or go, including common stress points and challenges couples face, how discernment...

Introducing a new partner to your kids can be complicated, and requires careful thought and planning to get it right.  So we asked parenting and relationship coach Nichole Farrow to join us to share her advice on how to introduce a new partner, including:  Fostering good communication with the other parent  The importance of a gradual introduction - baby steps all the way  Ensuring thoughtful plan...

School holidays can be difficult to juggle for any parents, but for those separated and co-parenting, it can bring a whole host of additional issues.  In this episode, hosts Matt & Liza were joined by The Divorce & Separation Coach, Chloe O. to look at the best way to plan the holidays as a separated parent.  Take a listen as they explore the challenges of planning holidays, the importance...

The family home can often be the most emotive element of a divorce. Steeped in memories, many ex-couples face the difficult decision about what to do with the house, in the short and long term.  In this episode, hosts Matt & Liza deep dive into all things property and divorce including:  00:35 Why is the family home so important? 01:56 The legal ownership of a property - joint tenants v tenant...

No longer the preserve of the ultra- wealthy, prenups, postnups and petnups are on the rise. But what are they, what can they cover, and do they stand up in court? Take a listen as Matt & Liza dive into nuptial agreements, the advantages, the challenges, and the laws surrounding them. Along with when and how they are useful, especially for people marrying later in life, wanting to protect fami...

A staggering 95% of survivors of domestic abuse experience economic abuse, leaving them isolated, trapped, dependent and confused.  So, we asked Tamsin Caine, a Chartered Financial Planner from Smart Divorce, to join us to look at how to recognise the signs of economic abuse and what you can do about it.  A financial specialist in advising people going through a divorce or separation. Tamsin cover...

Surrogacy is a wonderful way for people to build their family outside traditional norms, but it comes with legal complexities that often surprise people.  In this episode, Matt & Liza were delighted to welcome Andrew Powell , one of the country’s leading children's law barristers from 4PB, who specialises in surrogacy law, to explore how surrogacy works in the UK and internationally.  An...