Why Your Financial Settlement Matters

The recent LIN v PAR [2025] case has made a lot of people think twice about how they handled things when they separated. It involved a couple who had been apart for more than twenty years. They genuinely thought their finances were sorted. They moved on, built new lives, and never expected anything from the past to return. But because their financial settlement was never completed properly, the door was still open. A claim was made years later, and the whole thing had to be revisited.

This kind of situation is more common than people realise. Many couples agree things informally and believe that is enough. It feels calm and respectful at the time. But the law doesn’t see it as final until it becomes a sealed order. Without that, the past can sit quietly in the background.

What Went Wrong

In their case, they had reached an agreement, but nothing was taken to court. No sealed order. No clean break in the legal sense. So even after two decades of separate lives, one person was still able to bring a financial claim. It isn’t about blame. They didn’t know. Most people don’t.

Why This Affects People Now

When I speak with clients, many say things like:

• “We agreed everything ourselves.”

• “We didn’t want anything formal.”

• “We get on fine; we don’t need that level of paperwork.”

But informal arrangements don’t close financial rights. Life changes. People buy homes, pensions grow, someone inherits money, or takes on new responsibilities. These things can be pulled into a dispute later if the finances were never finalised. Even if both people had good intentions at the time.

A sealed financial order is what closes it.

How Mediation Helps

Mediation gives you time and space to go through your finances properly. No rush, no pressure. You lay out what you have, what you owe, and what you need moving forward. You talk it through in a way that keeps things steady. Most people find that once everything is on the table, it becomes easier to make practical decisions.

You reach proposals together. After that, a solicitor can prepare the order for the court to seal. That step is what protects both of you. Even people who get on well benefit from doing this properly. It avoids misunderstandings later.

If mediation doesn’t resolve everything, there are other ways to sort things without going straight to court. The Family Court actively encourages people to try non-court routes first. Court should only come in when nothing else works.

Why a Clean Break Matters

A clean break gives you clarity. You know where you stand. You know your future finances are yours, and your past won’t suddenly reappear later. It allows both of you to move forward with confidence. The LIN v PAR case is simply a reminder of what can happen when something important is left unfinished.

A Simple Thought to End On

If you separated recently or even years ago, it might be worth checking where things stand. You may have reached an agreement at the time, but it may not have been completed formally. Sorting it out now doesn’t have to be complicated. Mediation gives you a calm way to deal with it and then put it on a secure footing.

If you’re unsure, we can talk it through. It’s better to know than to be caught by surprise later.