JANUARY SEPARATIONS COULD LEAVE COUPLES FINANCIALLY EXPOSED FOR YEARS

Megan Wroe, Head of Family at Graysons

The start of the New Year is traditionally one of the busiest periods for family law firms, with the first Monday of January dubbed ‘Divorce Day’ due to a yearly surge in enquiries.

At Hope Valley-based Graysons Solicitors, the family team is preparing for an expected rise in calls, with this January marking the first such period under the leadership of Megan Wroe since her appointment as Head of Family.

Graysons says one of the biggest concerns it is seeing is the growing number of couples choosing do-it-yourself and online divorces. While no-fault divorce has made it easier to legally end a marriage, it does not deal with finances.

Without a legally binding consent order approved by the court, former partners can still make financial claims years after the divorce has been finalised, including against property, savings and pensions. At Graysons, this is an issue the family team says it is encountering with increasing frequency.

Pensions are among the most commonly overlooked assets. Despite often being one of the largest components of a couple’s wealth, pensions are regularly ignored during separation, particularly where one partner assumes a pension held in their own name is protected. Graysons warns that failing to address pensions properly at the point of divorce can lead to significant financial imbalance later in life.

Despite the seasonal spike in enquiries, the firm stresses that divorce should always be a last resort.

Megan Wroe, who joined Graysons in 2017 after obtaining a first class honours degree in law and qualified as a solicitor in 2021, says compassion and clarity are central to the team’s approach.

“Divorce is never something people should rush into lightly, and wherever possible it should be avoided,” she said. “When separation is unavoidable, understanding the financial consequences and getting advice early can prevent serious problems developing later on.”

Megan, a specialist family lawyer and member of Resolution, is supported by senior solicitor Angela Moores, who brings more than 30 years’ experience advising on financial settlements and children matters, including complex and high-value cases.

Together with the wider family team at Graysons, they are encouraging anyone facing relationship difficulties this January to seek early guidance, understand their options fully and protect their long-term financial security.

Megan and the family team can be contacted on: 01433 650718.

More information: https://www.graysons.co.uk/about-us/meet-team/#family