My ex-wife and I are in the process of agreeing our
Consent Order, dealing with a number of factors, one being
pension sharing.
We sold our home and split the proceeds equally in July 2011.
I began paying into a personal pension in Feb 1992, opting out of SERPS at the same time. Since then I have had a final salary scheme (member for 8 years) with a previous employer. And a current final salary scheme (member for 10 years) with my present employer. Both my personal and previous employer''s funds have been transferred into my current employer''s scheme.
My ex has her second state pension and a stakeholder through her employer, which she began in February 2012.
I have received a
CETV, carried out by an independant actuary firm so it should be accurate.
I met my ex in Jan 2000, she moved in with me in Jul 2000 and we married in Jan 2002.
Our
Decree Absolute was granted in Jan 2012.
My offer to her was based on her receiving a 50% share for the period of the marriage. It also allowed her to keep all of her second state benefits as well as her stakeholder.
calculated simply as;
1992 to 2012 - pension benefit accrued over 20 years.
2002 to 2012 - married for 10 years.
So we were married for 50% of the time the pension was being accrued. With her receiving 50%, so 25% of the total
CETV.
This however was rejected by her solicitor with them advising her "...there is no good reason why there should not be a 50%
pension sharing order made..."
I have since revised my offer and included 2 years of cohabitation. Thereby giving her 30% of the total
CETV.
I don''t plan on revising this offer any further. It gives her 50% for all the time we were together, including the last year whilst the divorce was going through, with her also keeping all of her own benefits. I don''t see how she can have a claim on the pension accrued before I even met her!?
I want to avoid court as I don''t see how paying 6-10K in fees would result in anything else other than what I have already offered - or am I missing something?
Any help would be gratefully received.