How to get a fair financial divorce settlement

You need to think back to what you individually owned before you got married. You do not need to consider what you had individually before you got married, as that will not be included in any settlement, but what you actually owned at the point that you got married.

For example, did you sell a property so that you could buy a home together? If so, how much did you have in cash from that property to put into the new property as a deposit?

How much of the furniture you own between you now was yours at the beginning of the marriage? Did you have savings that you have since put into a joint account with your spouse?

You need to look at everything you brought into the marriage - whether it was cash, property, furniture, jewellery, antiques, art or cars - to be sure you are getting a fair deal on your divorce.

However, be realistic and reasonable about it and take into account any debts you brought into the marriage too.

Add up the value of everything you brought into the marriage less any debts you had that have been paid off by you both, to get the overall total of the assets that you brought into the marriage.