What is the likely outcome

My wife and I have been married for 7 and a half years.

We’ve no debt, only a joint mortgage of circa £150k and a house valued at £310k. A house that I owned provided £70k of the equity we have in this house.

We both work, my wife gives me £300 per month and pays for the food (£200) and sky (£50), My household outgoings are £1700 per month (mortgage & insurances & council tax etc).

I have a defined contribution pension pot of £230k, my wife has no pension.

We both have savings of roughly equal amounts. (£20k)

No children.

My original thoughts were we half the lot but when I filled in the calculator on here it says that my parter would have to owe me.

This doesn’t seem right ? Surely everything goes in the pot irrespective of who put what in? Am I correct ?

Take the calculator with a pinch of salt I really can't see the point in it being on the site, must be useful for something I guess.

You are right everything goes in the pot no matter who contributed what which seems unfair but hey ho that's the joys of divorce.

From my understanding it starts at 50/50 and then needs are looked at hopefully you can sort it without going to court which is preferable. If it goes to court it will be divided and depending on which way the wind is blowing and who's lies get believed determines how it gets split.

Cynical view I know but that's the way mine seems to be going

A seven and a half year marriage is not long. Did you cohabit beforehand?
That would count towards the length of the relationship.

How many years did you pay into the pension scheme before cohabitation /marriage? You could argue that only the period of the marriage /cohabit should be shared.

What is the difference in your incomes? How much would you each need to buy a one bed place (with affordable mortgage based on income)

If you can each buy (with max affordable mortgage) the first step would be to work out how much of the equity you would each need as a deposit. If there is any left over, you could argue contribution and ask for more. Or you could suggest you contribution to property is reflected by not sharing the pension but splitting the equity between you instead.

Hadenoughnow

hadenoughnow wrote:

A seven and a half year marriage is not long. Did you cohabit beforehand?
That would count towards the length of the relationship.

How many years did you pay into the pension scheme before cohabitation /marriage? You could argue that only the period of the marriage /cohabit should be shared.

What is the difference in your incomes? How much would you each need to buy a one bed place (with affordable mortgage based on income)

If you can each buy (with max affordable mortgage) the first step would be to work out how much of the equity you would each need as a deposit. If there is any left over, you could argue contribution and ask for more. Or you could suggest you contribution to property is reflected by not sharing the pension but splitting the equity between you instead.

Hadenoughnow

Thanks for your comments and taking time to reply. They’re very useful, and what I thought. The calculator on here threw me.

Yes, we cohabited for 5 years before marriage. The difference in incomes is pretty substantial with myself earning double, but we are both on good salaries, so we both would be able to afford our own places.

Jo1234 wrote:

Take the calculator with a pinch of salt I really can't see the point in it being on the site, must be useful for something I guess.

You are right everything goes in the pot no matter who contributed what which seems unfair but hey ho that's the joys of divorce.

From my understanding it starts at 50/50 and then needs are looked at hopefully you can sort it without going to court which is preferable. If it goes to court it will be divided and depending on which way the wind is blowing and who's lies get believed determines how it gets split.

Cynical view I know but that's the way mine seems to be going

Thanks GB. Not a cynical view and I appreciate your honesty. Keep your chin up.