Divorce Process

This is general information for England & Wales, not legal advice, for advice on your situation, speak to a family solicitor or Citizens Advice.

If you've decided to divorce, or you're already in the middle of it, the paperwork itself is usually the easy part. What catches people out is assuming the divorce also sorts out the money. It doesn't.

The legal divorce and the financial settlement run as two separate processes in parallel, one ends the marriage, the other divides everything you own, and you need both properly closed to actually be protected. In practice that means a built-in waiting period on the divorce timetable, financial disclosure happening alongside it, and a court fee at the start of each. None of that has to be complicated once you know the order things happen in, and if children are involved, that's a third strand again, running alongside both. I went through all of this myself, so these guides cover the practical route through it, including how to stop your legal fees running away from you.

• If you haven't started the paperwork yet — read The divorce process in England & Wales: a step-by-step guide.
• If you're choosing a solicitor — read How to Find the Right Family Solicitor.
• If you want to keep your legal costs down — read How I Cut My Legal Fees by Doing the Leg-Work Myself.