Husband has disposed of shares!?

[SalSage]

Hey all,

Husband and I are probably getting a divorce eventually. It’s the way it’s going.

He runs a limited company, window cleaning business with his brother, which also owns a few buy to let property in the company name. His brother owns(owned) 51% my husband: 49%

He’s told me today that he is no longer a director or shareholder of the company - he’s “gifted” the shares to his brother for starting the company, and now he is just an employee of the company.

Is this legal? I know why he has done it! It is so I do not get award any of those shares in a divorce. I spent time doing those buy to let properties up - and went and looked at window cleaning equipment. I have earned a part of that company in the years I’ve helped. (Although - I have never been an employee, been paid, or a director/shareholder)

Before I see a solicitor and this all becomes real - can anyone advise me if what he has done is legal? Or if I would be able to fight it? Even next year if we decide to keep trying this year?

thanks all x

No advice but id be absolutely livid.
Maybe a court would see this as hiding assets or deprivation of assets.

Get legal advice asap! It is obvious why he has done it (and I wouldn't "keep trying this year" if you are talking about your marriage, as he has drawn a very clear "it's over" line in the sand here). I'd be spending the weekend asking friends for advice re good solicitors and drawing up a shortlist, prior to ringing them first thing on Monday morning.

You need to speak to a divorce lawyer as soon as possible, but I do not see why it would be illegal. Where it will work is another matter.

Try to collect as much evidence of your help in doing up the houses as you can. Like pictures of you there, for example, then take these to a solicitor

Why on earth would you keep trying anything other than getting a divorce with a man who thinks so little of you.

Remember, you're supposed to be the most important person in his life. He sees you as his partner for life. And not only has he let you do the women's work grunt work of doing up the buy-to-lets without giving you anything in return like payment, never mind shares, he's now just given away his shares. He's just made your family unit poorer.

Get to a divorce lawyer on Monday. This isn't a joke. It's not a "wait and see" situation. He's already offloaded assets! He's stringing you along if he's even implying you may have a future together. You don't.

I'm getting divorced. The biggest piece of advice I can give, having learnt the hard way, is ignore the words, the implying things and even the promises. Ignore them all. Pay very close attention to the actions. Not the performative actions - like a bunch of flowers. But the actions that relate to the deep underpinning of your relationship and the value he places on it.

He sees no future with you other than staying together long enough to protect himself financially. Do not let him away with it. Give him absolutely no indication of what you're doing - I mean none at all and hide your traces. Monday 9am ring around solicitors and take the first appointment you can get. In the mean time collect evidence of your joint bank account balances and anything else you share. And again, don't tell him.

Take him to the (window) cleaners.