If I say no to his proposal despite really wanting to marry him?

[alisunshine29]

DP and I have been together for 4 years, 2 kids - 1 his step daughter, 1 our daughter. We're sickeningly happy - no doubts at all that I want to be with him forever. He's hinted he will propose this year. However, when we met he was seperated from his wife whom he still hasn't divorced. I don't believe we should be engaged til they're divorced, despite them having no contact. AIBU?

[chocoluvva]

NBU IMO.

[WorraLiberty]

YANBU but why wait until he proposes?

Talk about it now

[BabsAndTheRu]

Yeah, get that divorce pushed through. What's the delay?

[Dahlen]

What Worra said

Personally, I wouldn't even live with someone who hadn't started divorce proceedings at the very least, and I would prefer it to be completed. Once you've thrown your lot in with someone to the extent where you live together and have a child, you run the risk of losing everything if something happens to your DP but he still has a wife.

[DamnBamboo]

YANBU. My now DH was still married to EW when we met and although I knew they were never getting back together, he hates (did then and still does now) paperwork and the divorce was not forthcoming.

After mentioning a few times that I had no desire to be with a married man, I finally said on Christmas, don't get on the plane to come and see me at my mum and dads unless you have completed and submitted paperwork for your decree absolute (he already had the nisi) becasue i am not interested.

Guess what happened?

[BabsAndTheRu]

Unless he has made a will, if anything happens to him you get nothing and the wife gets the lot.

[WorraLiberty]

I have to say though, it's a bit odd to be fine with having a baby with a married man but not to want to get engaged to him because he's married.

[alisunshine29]

I'm not financially reliant on him. He has made a start to the divorce as it's his new years resolution to become divorced but doubt it'll be finalised this year as he doesn't know where his wife is etc and she's likely to make it difficult.

[DamnBamboo]

I agree worra

[DamnBamboo]

He doesn't know where she is?
You can get one by default after three years separation I think?
Look into it.

[WorraLiberty]

Does his wife have no contact with the DD?

[millie30]

Why would she make it difficult? I'm assuming he has been separated for over 5 years now so he can do it without her consent anyway.

[alisunshine29]

Knew someone would say that Worra! When I fell pregnant things were different - i.e his wife was around and wanted a divorce as she wanted to re-marry.

[Peevish]

I find this a bit baffling to be honest. You've clearly thrown in your lot together, live together, have children together, are committed - so why is he 'hinting' about proposing marriage, as if you are about 19 and in the first flush of teenage romance? You're already essentially married - if common-law marriage still existed, you would fall into that category - so why so coy? Just discuss it like adults!

[alisunshine29]

It's my DD, not his. She would make it difficult regarding finances - she has said she wants money despite him having none.

[alisunshine29]

We've discussed it - I just haven't said outright "I'll say no if you propose unless you're divorced" as wasn't sure if I'm BU.

[WorraLiberty]

Oh I see sorry. Does he have any children with his wife?

If they've been separated for 5 yrs (I assume it must be nearly that at least) he doesn't need her permission to divorce.

[BabsAndTheRu]

It's not about being finically dependant, she will automatically get everything that's his, if you have a joint mortgage etc she gets his half as well as his pension and your child together would get nothing. It shouldn't take that long to get divorced, pretty sure like the other posts have stated it can be done without her consent.

[Pandemoniaa]

I know this is probably a ridiculous and outdated opinion and I don't usually have much time for outdated thinking, but....I'm a bit meh about people getting engaged when legally, they aren't actually able to get married.

On the other hand, I can't see anything wrong in having a sensible talk about how you see the future panning out and if this includes marriage, discussing it in principle. You can always do the formal proposal bit after the divorce but you don't have to make the whole issue of marriage off limits so far as longer term plans are concerned.

[Purple2012]

I wouldn't buy a house with my bf (now husband) until he was divorced. He had been separated 4 years when we met and he didn't see the point when he hadn't been in a serious relationship.

I wouldn't have bought the house with him if he had still been legally married, to protect myself. If something had happened to him she could have claimed some of the house and as it was my money that made it possible for us to buy I wouldnt risk it.

[DamnBamboo]

That's not true Babs She won't automatically get anything if he's intestate and my guess is, he isn't likely to still have a will that she is the beneficiary of.

The courts would automatically find in favour of his children.

[chris481]

If intestate the wife gets all his personal assets and the first £250,000 of his financial assets. The children only get something if he leaves more than that.

[BabsAndTheRu]

Sorry, according to my solicitor if you don't update your will, if not divorced, your spouse gets the lot.

[DamnBamboo]

That's assuming he has a will.

If he is intestate, then that's not due process.

Either way, this happened to a close family member, no will, kids got most, wife (long time divorced) got some. It is not a done deal.

[BabsAndTheRu]

If not a case of her being in an old will, if no will at all then spouse gets the lot. So many people don't have a will, I only got one made when I separated from my husband.