Going through a divorce is a difficult time to all those involved. Working with a professional can help to take some of the pressure off whether that is utilising the services of a mediator, a financial adviser, a counsellor or a solicitor.

KBA FS Ltd can help on the financial advice side of the divorce process in the following ways:

Our Services

Information Gathering

The information the finance companies send regarding both of your finances can be a complex, time consuming exercise. The information that they send may be

confusing and may not be the information required to make the necessary decisions. We can help by asking the right questions in an efficient fashion and helping to translate the information into an understandable format so that you, your mediator or solicitor has the information they need at the forefront of the process. We will make sure the key questions are asked and comment on any of the information that they provide.

Budgeting and Financial Forecasting

This is possibly the most important part of the divorce process. Identifying a clear budget at the outset is vital to help you understand the requirements over the long term. It is important to understand how different factors will affect you in the long term. Things such as inflation, changes in interest and mortgage rates, changes in benefits, increases in the state pension age will all impact your long term needs as well as expenses you might not have considered such as university costs and these should all be carefully considered. We use the latest in financial forecasting software to assist with the understanding of the long term requirements and the impact of all of these factors.

Giving Guidance During the Collaborative Process

We can work alongside the mediator and solicitor during the process to provide financial information and education to help thorough understanding from all parties.

Mortgage Capacity Reports

Mortgages are a confusing business for most people and with an ever changing industry and compliance to consider, where do you start. We can assist with working out the borrowing capacity of any party and help with the understanding of the impact of different levels of deposit, equity and maintenance. Things such as how benefits will be assessed and what term the mortgage should run to are important factors to consider as well as the affordability assessment of different lenders. We can produce a professional mortgage capacity report for you to use in your divorce proceedings.

Advising on Pension Options

Pensions are a complex area of financial planning. Advisers are required to have a range of qualifications to be able to advise on pension advice including pension sharing orders. Given that pensions have changed dramatically over the years, it is no surprise that most of the information pension providers send will not make sense to you, dont worry this is completely normal. This is where we come in, to help you understand what the options are and give impartial information where required. All of our advisers have the necessary qualifications to give pension advice.

Helping with Actuarial Instructions

Where a party has a final salary scheme, actuarial reporting can be beneficial when evaluating scheme benefits. This is a complex area of financial planning and having an expert in the field can help to navigate around the complexities. 

Advising on Protection Policies

Life cover is often overlooked in the divorce process, there could be joint policies that result in one party losing their cover, trust arrangements, or considering what would happen if one party dies and the maintenance stops. We can help to identify the policies you have and guide you through things like separation options, trusts and trustees and other types of protection such as critical illness and income protection.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

The value of your investments and any income from them may fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. You may get back less than you invest. 

How Can We Help?

We provide information and guidance throughout the divorce process, whether that be collaboratively or in mediated or traditional settlements.

Taking advice early in the process is essential because regardless of which process you choose, your financial situation will be at the centre of the negotiations.

It is vital that both parties understand the financial impact of divorce and understand how the different elements fit together so that both parties have a good outcome.