to wonder what would happen if I won the lottery when I am seperated?

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Just musing....as you do!

Been seperated 2.5 years, not divorced because I was waiting for the 2 years seperation and of course CV has meant I couldnt really see a solicitor. Not too fussed, dont need to get divorced but I do want to.

So lets assume, in cloud cuckoo land, that I win £120 odd million on the Euros tonight. Would I have to give half to him or would it be classed as mine as it wasnt won until well into our seperation?

Its not going to happen obviously, but I have often wondered this!

Give that ticket to your mum!

No idea op but i’d like to know for the same reason! Id want to help exdh out...but rather not give him half! 🤣🤣

I would help my ex out of the country :o

If I didn't hate him and there hadn't been any abuse or other awful behaviour I'd probably share some with him, especially if we had children as it would benefit them when they were with him.

I have also wondered this but came to the conclusion it would be enough money to give him half and still have more than I could ever want.

I think there's precedent that even if you are together you don't have to give him half. Although if DH won the lottery then filed for divorce the following day I'd consider it worth a chat with a lawyer at least!

If your bank accounts and bills are separate now then it shouldn't affect any deal, should it?

OP, you can do a DIY divorce fairly easily and without a solicitor if you don't have children and you've not got a complex financial situation (pensions etc). Don't let that stop you.

I've already planned for this. I'll tell exDH I won £4mill and I'd like to give him a million because I'm kind and don't ever want him to have to struggle. He will be so amazed he won't question it. I don't plan to move and he has no idea of what stuff costs so I'll be able to do all sorts to the house/garden without raising suspicion
I don't actually play the lottery

I can get legal aid due to his abuse and we have a child together so I will let the experts do it, buggered if I am paying for it!

I would give the ticket to my mum

Good luck 🤑

I expect your H would try to get back together with you. ( Both) mine certainly would have.

I don’t want to be a downer, but have you made a will? Otherwise, he will get everything in the event of your death, separation makes no difference.

Finances are usually split 50/50 in divorce, are they not?

My exh made a vague threat about claiming half of my income from writing a book I published nearly 2 years after we separated. I'm an indie writer, I have no idea what he expects but I'm definitely no JK Rowling. As far as I can tell, he had the right to mention it though.

I've decided I'm going to start playing the lottery just as soon as our finances are properly settled.

www.richardnelsonllp.co.uk/lottery-winnings-and-divorce/

Interesting read

Until divorce is final I think it would be split or you pay him off. Get the dosh, get it out of the country to Switzerland or Cayman Islands in a secret account

So basically I need to keep it secret until at least a year or two after the divorce?! Not a problem :o

With family law you’ll always be told “it depends” and that’s true. In particular if there are “needs” such as housing that can only be met by tapping into post-separation assets. Also if you were found to need to pay spousal maintenance again that could be looked at/increased if you won the lottery later on.

I'd be keeping that ticket very safe until everything was signed, and be very discreet in my spending after that.

You wouldn't necessarily have to split if it could be proved that you were separated at the time of ticket purchase and you bought the ticket from your own funds. However, for the sake of an easy life, if you ARE lucky enough to win, I would give the ticket to your mum / sister and pretend she bought it. Your ex could still contest your winnings in court and if he gets the right judge (for him) you could lose out.

Be wary of any IHT implications if you did give a ticket to your parents for them to claim, and then give you the money.

I know this is a many-million-to-one scenario but it's an interesting thought exercise!

@PyongyangKipperbang and make sure in your financial remedies order you have a “clean break” so they can’t come back.

I've just said to my DW that I will win the Euromillions tonight and we will move to a new house.
PyongyangKipperbang I've solved your problem by winning it. I do like to dream.

I'd pay a hitman to take XH out!

If I recall correctly, we had a separation agreement fringe a certain date any assets acquired did not go into the division of assets pot. I also made a will so that he couldn’t get anything should I have died before the divorce came through.

I don't know the answer but it's just made me think. If I won a substantial amount on the lottery I'd always planned that I'd give my ex a decent chunk of it. Now I'm thinking to myself - why on earth would I do that? He had loads of money when we were together, didn't let me work, but I had to stay at home in a freezing house all day long and ask for permission if I needed to buy new underwear. I'm now rethinking my imaginary generosity.

For some reason I'd always planned to give him about half. I'm glad I read this thread and rethought... Now I need to start playing the lottery.

I'd still give him some. Maybe 500k if I won 120 mill. Just so our dd doesn't need to worry about her tight arse of a father.