Beware the financial pitfalls of a bad marriage

Accepting that a marriage is over is never easy and for most people the difficult tasks that follow, such as arranging financial maintenance after divorce, are not particularly nice.

However, according to a report in the Daily Telegraph a lot of the unpleasantness surrounding a break up is avoidable with the right financial planning.

Ask most lawyers what the best course of action is - if you are thinking about the possibility of breaking up with your partner before you have even walked down the aisle - and they will tell you to consider a prenuptial agreement. While not legally binding in the UK many divorce courts are taking them into account.

Martin Karran, a divorce lawyer at legal firm Turner Parkinson, told the paper that a pre-nup should not just be considered by those who are extremely well-off, adding that anyone thinking of re-marriage after divorce should definitely consider such an agreement.

He added: "The courts are taking prenuptial agreements much more seriously and, now, the court will need a reason not to uphold one," noting that even if a prenuptial agreement was not upheld by the court it may well be used as a guide for a settlement - unless it was completely unfair to one party.

Lonely and don't want to be?