My H walked out on me on Valentines Day to be with his GF. He is an alcoholic, serial shagger who has abused me emotionally and financially over the past 10 years (we have been married 22 years) so the time has come to divorce and I shed no tears over him.
However, I saw a solicitor last week for a chat - assured 50/50 equity in the house (possibly more in my favour), pension share and probably spouse maintenance (he takes home approx 4x my salary). Kids are 21 (at home, working) and 18 (away at Uni but home in hols).
He has not been in touch with me all this time although he has been home to pick up some stuff (I wasn't in). All bills are coming out of the joint account still, as is day to day spending. I have evidence he has opened a secret bank account.
Anyway - how can I pay my solicitor? Take out a loan? Credit card? It won't be cheap, he has several pensions to be valued for a start. Do I carry on the status quo and wait for him to ask me when I shall be petitioning and then ask him how we're going to pay? I know each party pays their own but how is this possible when finances have been joint?
Sorry, a bit of a ramble - I had kind of assumed I would be able to pay at the end when house had been sold (4 beds so it will have to go, I guess - not too unhappy about that, a fresh start will be good). People divorce all the time with less money than we have - how do they do it? Mum says if she wins the lottery she'll gladly pay the lot but that's a bit unlikely . . .