Two households are more expensive than one. So, for the vast majority of separating couples, the division of financial resources will be driven by the requirement to ensure that both parties’ needs – and even more importantly those of their children – are met for the future, so far as the budget will allow.
Housing is obviously the first priority, but not far behind there will need to be consideration of other essential capital items such as, say, a car to transport the children, and also of how the parties will fund their daily outgoings now and in retirement.
Cases where all the parties’ resources are accounted for in this way with no surplus left over are colloquially referred to as ‘needs cases’.
In this course, we’ll explain the legal principles underpinning needs cases and how judges have applied them in real life. We’ll demonstrate how outcomes in needs cases and those in which there is a surplus of resources over needs (known as ‘sharing cases’) can look very different.
When it comes to needs cases, there is an even greater premium on reaching sensible agreement at an early stage, so obtaining a thorough understanding of the legal landscape, and of what is and isn’t relevant, is more important than ever.
This course remains live for 90 days from purchase, but we’ve included course materials with the full text of the course and links to all the case law, research and statutes, which you can download and keep after the course itself has expired.
Published content by The Divorce Surgery Editorial Team.