Is there any point in me having savings when I’m not divorced?

[Bluesloth]

Separated from husband a few years ago. We both had personal debts during the marriage, no joint assets, I have a very modest pension pot, he doesn’t.

Since he left I’ve had very little maintenance from him last payment in the bank was Oct 19. March last year he gave me around £50. Anyways, I work full time in a low paid but secure job and have worked really hard to pay off my personal debts and am now in a position to start saving. I have around £1,200 in savings, no debts (this is a wonderful feeling for me after being involved with a financially irresponsible man).

Just reading another thread about divorce and now I’m wondering if I should be putting my effforts into getting a divorce instead of trying to build savings. All the savings have been accumulated post split with my own money but would he be entitled to half in the event of a divorce? He said ages ago that he’d be happy to divorce if I paid for it all. It’s tempting to just crack on with and it make myself financially independent from him. My greatest ‘asset’ I suppose is my death in service benefit which would be £40,000 which he would get unless divorced and I’d like it to go to my children not him.

Get the divorce sorted, particularly for inheritance purposes.

Don't know the situation in the uk but can't you do it quite cheaply if there are no disagreements?

Definitely get divorced. You need to be completely free from this man.

I took advice regarding my pension from the Pensions Advisory service and they thought that if he wanted to make a claim on my pension it would cost him for a financial advisor and solicitor. He probably wouldn’t have the money or the foresight for that. And he told me he’d never go after my pension (he also told me he’d always pay for his child too 🙄) so i can’t rely on that. I don’t think he’d contest the divorce now that we’ve been living apart for more than two years. So it won’t be mega bucks to sort out. But because we don’t have an official child maintenance plan and I’ve got my modest pots (there’s two actually) I think I’ll need to get legal advice 😕

I am in the same position but however I did change my death in service at work so it didn't go to him as is to be split between my children. I am sure you can nominate someone else doesn't have to be your (ex) husband

Yes I believe I can change your nomination too. I could do that. I’ve heard of it being contested or put in as part of a divorce settlement - they’d need to be really awkward to do this though when that’s money for their kids.

I guess I’m just really scared to go ahead and start proceedings. He’s got a habit of exploding at me when he thinks I’m being ‘differcult’.

You do have a bargaining chip though - I take it you haven't gone through CMS if he's only paying £50 a month for his kids?

Go for the divorce asap - you can only start moving on once it's legally settled. If he mentions your pension, promise you won't go for CMS if he leaves it along. get the divorce then go for it anyway

I didn’t know until I divorced that ex would be entitled to a share of my savings during separation. As I was working full time and he was unemployed (no maintenance either) he benefited from that. Get divorced ASAP!

Def get divorced clean break

Thank you for your replies. He’s actually brought up the topic of divorce himself saying he’d seen some ads for cheap divorces. I’ve seen those ads too but you’d still need to pay the the court fee on top of whatever obscure service those companies provide (and which I’ll be avoiding). He said he wants to divorce, won’t ask for anything and assumes I’ll ask for nothing from him. So, if I want to do it I will have to make the application myself and pay the fee. I’ve emptied some random little pots of savings and only have to top with £205 from my pay at the end of the month and I’ll have my court fee!

@ivegotthisyeah

I am in the same position but however I did change my death in service at work so it didn't go to him as is to be split between my children. I am sure you can nominate someone else doesn't have to be your (ex) husband

I nominated my children.