Five ways to protect your finances if you get divorced

If possible, try to agree this between you. If your ex refuses to pay their share, or you’re struggling to pay yours, talk to the mortgage company and see if they will allow you to pay interest-only for a period, or take a break while you sort something out.

However, there are steps you need to take right now to protect your finances too.

As the festive season gives way to the post-Christmas comedown, divorce season moves up a gear.

If you’re the primary card holder, you’re liable for spending on both cards.

Couples often offset assets, but it’s important to appreciate the value of what you are giving up and what it will cost to replace it.

If this is the case, it’s sensible to block both cards. If your ex is using the card for everyday expenses, they need to know as soon as you’ve done it, so they can find an alternative.

Sarah Coles is head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown.

4. Check your credit cards

There’s no such thing as a joint credit card. If you both have a card on the same account, one of you will be the primary card holder, and the other has an additional card.

Marriage and cohabitation 

Stephen Gold is a retired judge who has written many popular series for This is Money, including on the legal ground rules when couples split up.

On average we divorce 12.9 years after marriage – so there’s plenty of time for things to have got complicated.

The first working Monday of the year – 6 January in 2025 – traditionally sees a surge of divorce enquiries from people pushed to the brink after spending the festive season together.

> How to deal with debt in a divorce

3. Think about joint accounts

If you’re being paid directly into a joint account, arrange for the money to be paid elsewhere. If there are bills, rent or the mortgage coming out of the joint account, arrange an alternative way of paying these.

Similarly they can place controls on debts to prevent either of you from abusing joint arrangements.

What is just a date in the diary for divorce lawyers can be an incredibly stressful time for couples going through the trials of a split.

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