Money & planning · Practical guide

How to plan your finances after separation

Understand monthly living costs, debts, shared expenses and optional legal fees using simple estimates.

Money can feel uncertain when a household may become two. A simple inventory and monthly budget can help you ask better questions without predicting any legal outcome.

Start with what you know

List income sources, regular household bills, outstanding debts, savings and accounts. For major assets or debts, use the most reliable figures you have and make it obvious when a value is only an estimate.

The assets and debts organizer produces a downloadable PDF of your list. It is not a valuation or proposed settlement.

Build a new monthly picture

  • Include rent or mortgage, utilities, food, transport, insurance and any children’s recurring costs.
  • Enter income and expenses using the frequency you know; the budget tool converts them to monthly amounts.
  • Allow for one-time costs such as moving and possible professional fees separately from ongoing expenses.
  • Revisit estimates as you learn more. A worksheet helps you plan; it cannot tell you what you can legally claim or owe.

Include professional costs if relevant

Lawyer consultations, court filing charges, mediation and document preparation can involve costs, but what applies differs by situation and location. Rather than showing an invented average, PlanMyDivorce lets you enter your own quoted or researched figures.

Open the budget planner, complete your estimates and use Download PDF summary beneath “Your financial overview” to save a personal document.

Separate planning from legal decisions

Property and debt arrangements can involve rights and obligations that a simple calculator cannot resolve. Get relevant legal and financial advice before transferring ownership, making binding agreements or taking other irreversible steps.

References and further reading

These external resources offer further context. They do not substitute for advice specific to you.

A planning guide, not a personal recommendation. We cannot determine your legal rights, safety circumstances or financial entitlements. Confirm relevant rules with official sources and qualified local professionals.