How advisers and family lawyers can work together to support clients through divorce

Divorce is one of the most significant life and financial events many people will experience. Alongside the emotional impact, clients are often faced with difficult decisions about property, pensions, investments, income and long-term financial security, all while under considerable pressure and within tight timescales.

For family lawyers, ensuring clients receive the right financial guidance at the right time can make a significant difference to both outcomes and client experience. This can involve working alongside advisers who provide joined-up support across financial planning and investment management.

At Evelyn Partners, our Total Wealth Management approach brings together financial planners and investment managers to support clients throughout the divorce process and beyond. By working collaboratively with family lawyers, we aim to help clients achieve fair, sustainable outcomes that reflect both their immediate needs and their long-term financial goals.

Divorce settlements often involve more than simply dividing assets equally. Clients may need to consider how different assets are valued and divided, how income needs will change over time, and how to balance liquidity, risk and future financial security.

Many clients will also be making major financial decisions independently for the first time. Some may have had limited involvement during the marriage, while others may be concerned about maintaining their lifestyle, supporting children or planning for retirement.

This is where coordinated professional support can be particularly valuable. You provide essential legal guidance, while we can help clients understand the implications of different settlement options and prepare for life after divorce.

Early involvement can also help identify potential issues before they become obstacles during negotiations or proceedings.

Financial planners can help clients build a clearer picture of their financial position and future requirements during divorce proceedings.

This may include:

• Preparing cashflow forecasts to model future income and expenditure

• Assessing the affordability of different settlement proposals

• Reviewing pension arrangements and retirement planning needs

• Considering the tax implications of asset division

• Helping clients understand how certain financial decisions may affect long-term security

• Supporting clients as they transition to managing finances independently

For family lawyers, this type of analysis can help provide an evidence-based framework for discussions around settlement options. It can also help clients approach negotiations with a clearer understanding of what is financially sustainable in practice.

Financial planning support is often particularly valuable where there are complex asset structures, business interests, pensions or significant differences in earning capacity between parties.

Investment management can also play an important role during and after divorce proceedings, particularly where clients hold investment portfolios, receive investment assets as part of a settlement, or require ongoing income from invested capital.

An investment manager can help clients understand:

• How investment portfolios may be divided or restructured

• The potential tax consequences of transferring assets

• How investment strategies may need to change following divorce

• How to manage risk and liquidity requirements during settlement negotiations

• How invested assets can support future income needs and longer-term objectives

Investment managers work closely with both the financial planner and the family lawyer to ensure financial arrangements remain aligned with the wider settlement strategy.

For example, where a client is retaining investments in place of other assets, it is important they understand not only the current value of those investments, but also how they may perform over time, the level of risk involved, including the potential for the value to fall as well as rise, and whether the assets are suitable for their future needs.

This can help avoid situations where clients agree to settlements that appear equitable on paper but may not support their long-term financial wellbeing.

Family lawyers, financial planners and investment managers each bring different expertise to the divorce process. When those disciplines work together, clients can benefit from more cohesive support and better informed decision-making.

A collaborative approach can help clients:

• Understand the practical implications of settlement proposals

• Make informed decisions with greater confidence

• Reduce uncertainty during negotiations

• Plan for their financial future after divorce

• Feel supported through a highly emotional and complex process

For family lawyers, working alongside advisers can also help strengthen client relationships by ensuring clients receive comprehensive support beyond the legal aspects of the divorce itself.

While much of the focus during divorce is understandably on reaching a settlement, long-term planning is equally important.

Clients may need to reassess retirement plans, update estate planning arrangements, review protection policies or establish new investment strategies following divorce. Financial priorities can also change significantly after separation.

We can help clients move from short-term uncertainty towards longer-term financial resilience. This ongoing support can be particularly important at a time when people are rebuilding confidence and adapting to a new financial reality.

At Evelyn Partners, we work alongside family lawyers to support clients at every stage of the divorce journey.

We focus on delivering advice that is personal, practical and centred on long-term wellbeing.

To find out more about how we can help support your clients, please speak to your usual Evelyn Partners contact.