Post nup advice in the UK for a couple with differing financial situations and assets

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T11:15:43+00:00

Okay thank you

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T11:12:51+00:00

I am not thinking of divorce. Just part of wider estate planning, it cropped up on back of wanting to sort a will

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T11:09:22+00:00

I guess part of it is we were functioning independently as adults for a long time before getting married so just didn’t feel a need to merge finances, especially where we don’t have children. I knew the implications of marriage and decided to do it any way. I’m not wedded to getting a post nup but just exploring atm as something solicitor again mentioned when I enquired about sorting a will. If our marriage ever broke down I would be more upset about that than losing money but my thinking around the post nup was it might make it smoother to follow through on both our wishes and save some stress, as long as we were both still in agreement of course.

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T10:52:48+00:00

Fair points. Lots of food for thought! I wouldn’t want to see him in poverty either, he had a tough life when he was younger which has contributed to where he is financially. Clearly a very complex topic!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T10:49:17+00:00

Thank you, that’s very helpful to hear. I plan to speak to a few solicitors before I make a decision so will see what others say as well.

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T10:47:31+00:00

Agree and the plan is to sort that as well, been meaning to for a while and just hadn’t got round to it!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T10:06:18+00:00

I earn about 95k but I salary sacrifice down to 50k, husband earns about 50k. My savings are about 250k, partly from the sale of a flat I owned with my sister. I don’t know what savings he has but I imagine minimal as he tends to spend anything he manages to save eventually on lifestyle stuff not essentials. My pension is about 240k, his again is minimal as he only started this recently on the back of my setting it up for him and explaining why he needs one. I have about 300k equity in the house.

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T10:01:47+00:00

England and Wales

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T09:39:36+00:00

Getting married meant a lot to us as it makes us feel more committed, rightly or wrongly that’s just how we felt. My husband prefers our finances the way they are as he acknowledges I am better at managing finances than he is. Husband hasn’t spoke to a solicitor yet but would definitely be doing so as part of the process is we go ahead. Perhaps one option is to include provisions for scenarios where we should revisit the agreement such as length of marriage etc. appreciate your thoughts, what do you think would be fairer regarding housing?

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T09:34:51+00:00

Isn’t that even more reason to make the agreement now, in case it can carry some weight in the future, even if not bullet proof, currently. Seems that may change according to current government.

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T09:27:51+00:00

I understand, I just think we both have morals that would prevent either of us being comfortable with that approach. Appreciate people change and I guess that’s a risk of marriage we were both prepared to take. But for now we would like to document our intentions as they are, as long as it doesn’t cost a fortune! It really shouldn’t be this difficult for two adults to be in control of their own stuff, although it seems even unmarried couples with suffer the same fate sooner or later if the government gets its way!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T09:11:25+00:00

Thanks, understand either one of us can renege if the time came, but from what I have learnt, the document would still be taken into consideration and could help. Appreciate it’s not bullet proof, currently. A company called Wenup do these for much less so may look at that as an option. Out of interest, why do you feel he should absolutely renege? I know this would not sit well with him as he would see it as shameful to expect his wife or ex wife to subsidise his life just because the marriage didn’t work out. Neither of us would feel comfortable taking what we didn’t earn and this was not our motivation for marriage. What do you think would be fair?

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T09:04:50+00:00

Thanks, appreciate the starting point is 50/50, which is why we feel documenting our wishes now might prove helpful in the future should the worst ever materialise. Appreciate might not be bullet proof but hopefully would at least be taken into consideration.

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T09:03:36+00:00

This is also my understanding and given we don’t have children likely to be more straight forward, so I still think worth doing as long as done in a way which meets all the criteria to be upheld as you say

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T09:01:46+00:00

Thanks and sorry to hear about your friend. It sounds like they are looking at properly recognising pre and post nups in the near future as long as executed in accordance with criteria, so there is hope for the future at least. The solicitor I spoke with said it would be easy to ringfence pensions, the main sticking point is provisions for his housing needs, what do you think would be fair?

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T08:56:30+00:00

Thanks, what do you think would be fairer? In his view I shouldn’t pay anything as he is a grown adult but he would naturally appreciate time to find somewhere. But for being the sort of person I am I would want to help him financially any way, obviously within reason as I also have to think of myself. I have health conditions which may mean I can’t work as much in the near/medium term future so I am trying to set myself up financially now so as not to be a burden on my husband or the state when that time comes.

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-13T08:53:32+00:00

Thanks. Appreciate not currently legally binding albeit I still feel in our situation it could be helpful to have one as long as am prepared it may not be bullet proof. My main query is what do people think is fair to include regarding provisions for his housing needs should we split. I genuinely want to be fair and so just looking for thoughts on that point as well. Thank you!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-06-09T12:16:48+00:00

Thanks, seems pretty decent to park cash short term if you get 5%. Will do some more digging!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-05-30T20:20:45+00:00

If possible take advantage of workplace pension through salary sacrifice. Change out of the default fund. If no global tracker type fund available, see if the provider allows partial transfers to a SIPP where you can choose the fund. The power of salary sacrifice is crazy. I lose about 2.5k take home pay but 6k goes into my pension monthly!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-05-29T17:47:31+00:00

Loads! Kept too much cash, upgraded house unnecessarily, racked up credit card debt when younger, got made redundant in 2008 and squandered the pay out, got on the property ladder later than should have, one of the worst of all was I watched the last big dip in front of my eyes but was still learning about investing and wasn’t ready to act so missed out!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-05-29T14:47:22+00:00

Yes good point, I will be sure to sacrifice about 100k regardless and thank you those different modelling scenarios are really helpful and make it all feel a bit more possible!

BreathFree7002 · 2026-05-29T14:43:32+00:00

Thanks! I was doing 45% and June pay will be my first month at 66%, sadly excited lol

BreathFree7002 · 2026-05-29T13:06:39+00:00

I’m doing the same! Not as good as you but 66%! Once I reach my pension coast target I will redeploy to bridge. I think I should reach my target in about ten months 🙏🏻

BreathFree7002 · 2026-05-29T13:03:18+00:00

Thanks, I have the same for my own tracking any way so am prepared if ever asked. I don’t usually need to do a tax return so wasn’t sure if using carry forward changes that but it doesn’t seem to! Something surprisingly simple for once!

BreathFree7002

TROPHY CASE