What % would I be entitled to after a short marriage?

[Llush]

I have been married for under 2 years but was in a relationship the 2 years prior, so 3.5 years altogether.

I have 2 children, aged 6 & 8, but no joint children. I am a full time stay at home mother and am dependent on his salary. His family pay the school fees.

We live in his house, but it's is held in family trust.

Pretty much nothing I would think. A marriage that short I would expect to walk away only with what you entered with. You definitely won’t have a claim on the house due to this trust, and presumably this scenario is exactly why.

In Scotland you'd be expected to go back to where you both were pre marriage, so you'd be entitled to nothing really, especially as he doesn't actually own the house.

I can't see England being that much different.

Was any agreement made pre marriage about "what if?" ?

No joint children? Then nothing.

No expertise but my gut feel is very little given the short marriage and no shared children. You sound financially trapped, particularly by the school fees.

Legally, absolutely nothing.

It isn't 3.5 years - it is under 2 years, you have no children with him, and you are choosing to stay at home and not work. So nothing. Why do you expect him to pay anything for you and your children?

His family pays school fees for children that are not related to them?? That’s extremely generous.
With no shared children and no joint assets I doubt your entitled to anything at all.

I would expect any court settlement to put you back where you were pre-marriage, given the absence of joint children.

I would ask for next term’s school fees (I’m assuming one term’s notice) and possibly moving fees so the kids stuff can be transported to your new home. Do you own a car each outright? I’d be hoping to keep my car too.

I can't imagine you are entitled to anything.

What is the situation re school fees? Why are his family paying if the children aren't his? Where is their father in this? I can't imagine your STBX in laws will continue to pay the school fees following your divorce. What happens then?

Nothing beyond what he is prepared to give you voluntarily. Perhaps he will help with a rental deposit.

You need to find yourself a job quickly. Do you receive cm from the dc's father? Start checking out what benefits you will be entitled.

Thankfully your dcs are young enough for transition to state primary to be fairly easy.

I wouldn't imagine that you're entitled to much at all tbh. Why would you be?

How did you support yourself before the marriage? I guess you'll have to go back to whatever you did then.

Why are his family paying school fees for children that aren't related to them?
You'll need to get a job and find somewhere to live to house you and your 2 children.

Nothing, and why would you?

Why are his family paying your children’s school fees?

You’ll be expected to go back to work to support yourself.

Short marriage, no shared children and the house in trust? I don't think you can expect the divorce to result in a percentage split tbh. What did you bring into the marriage financially? You should be able to retain that.

Big fat 0.

Did you enter into this relationship purely for financial gain?

Sorry op but nothing and I’d sssume your kids need to move schools, I would start to get myself sorted to be independent now, pick new schools, apply for jobs, apply for benefits and I suspect you may need temporary council accommodation unless you’ve savings, unless he decides to be generous.

Can see why his family put the house in trust. Smart.

You best get a job..

It was set up by his grandfather. Mine aren't the only stepchildren to benefit like this.

So basically he has funded your life and that of your children for 3.5 years and you want to know how much of his money you can get out of him. Wow.

Exactly my thought. CF in the extreme!

How long do you have to be married to be entitled to something then? I thought once you were married that was the rules

Presumably the others aren’t divorcing though.

You need to seek legal advice. But those saying you are entitled to nothing are wrong.

Pre-marital assets are treated as non-matrimonial and usually not divided on divorce. Matrimonial assets are anything acquired or built up during the marriage, such as an increase in value of pre existing assets.

I am guessing he’s ultra wealthy due to the generosity with the school fees. The court can (but won’t necessarily do so) order him to continue as the children, albeit his step children, are children of the family and their welfare takes priority. Obviously here the grandparents are paying so if he doesn’t on paper have the funds to do so, it’s more difficult.

But if he’s very wealthy, it being a short marriage doesn’t mean you get nothing. Your needs are a key factor in any settlement. You’re not going to get maintenance for life and three properties but depending on the assets you might get a deposit for a suitable property.

Google Melissa Miller and her short marriage - she got £5 million after 2 years marriage with no children. Heather Mills who did have one child but who was married under 4 years got £25 million from Paul McCartney. English courts are pretty generous in high net worth cases.

But do get advice.