1. MacKenzie Bezos: Beware of financial infidelity
When the world’s richest man announces his divorce, the question on everyone’s lips is ‘how much will that cost?’. If you have a good lawyer like MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife, you could walk away with $35billion.
Not everyone has a good lawyer, though, or much idea of their finances.
In fact, 71% of Brits don’t even understand how a savings account works, according to Pay.UK.
“Not understanding your finances can be a huge weakness during divorce proceedings,” Ursula warns. “It makes it easier for partners to engage in ‘financial infidelity’ where they hide assets, meaning you could miss out on your fair share. This risk is even higher with harder-to-access funds, like cryptocurrency and shares.”
2. Brangelina: Don’t forget the bigger picture
Public battles over child custody, like that between Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, highlight how emotionally fuelled custody battles can get.
When this happens, they can take years to sort out. In the case of Brangelina, their custody fight lasted four times longer than the couple were married.
Ursula says these celeb battles highlight the need for clear communication and a child-centric approach, “It’s no surprise that child custody is often the most contentious aspect of a separation, especially when a marriage has ended badly.
“Whilst the process is understandably difficult and emotionally charged, it’s important to never lose sight of the bigger picture during custody battles like this. In the case of Brad and Angelina, it took eight years to agree a resolution. That’s eight years of their children’s lives that were directly impacted by divorce proceedings. So, when circumstances allow, I always encourage clients to try to work together amicably to find a co-parenting arrangement that’s acceptable to everyone. This makes the separation process much shorter – saving thousands in legal fees and protecting the whole family from extra emotional turmoil.”
3. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin: Don’t throw stones
When relationships end it can be easy to lash out by placing blame on the other person and criticising their choices after the separation – such as their new choice of partner.
But, as Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s ‘conscious uncoupling’ proved, a separation can be amicable. Even after a decade of marriage.
Ursula says it isn’t about pointing fingers but realising that people change and that’s OK, “While the ‘conscious uncoupling’ might have seemed like celebrity fodder initially, the case is a good example of the advantages of keeping things amicable. Although it’s often hard in the heat of the moment, working to maintain open and measured communication can significantly reduce conflict and emotional distress whilst keeping divorces quick and legal fees low."
Find out how Ursula can help you navigate a divorce.