New Year, new me: navigating life changes in 2025

The start of a new year brings a time for reflection and transformation. As the festive season ends, you may have found yourself contemplating significant life changes – from evolving relationships to career shifts, relocation plans or expanding families. Wherever 2025 is taking you or your clients, below is some information to help you navigate and prepare for these changes. 

Relationships and future planning 

Relationships bring joy and fulfilment, but they also come with challenges and risks. Whether you are dating, living together, married, in a civil partnership or separated, it’s crucial to take steps to protect you and your wealth. In our guide, we offer practical steps to protect your wealth during relationship changes.

Property matters

Make sure you're listed on the lease or property if it's a property you jointly own and that you have a declaration of trust if unmarried recording the beneficial ownership. Consider a pre-nup, post nup or cohabitation agreement depending on your own circumstances to set out an agreement about how you'll manage your financial affairs in light of a change in your family dynamic. 

Family matters

If you're already a parent, or expecting a child, protecting parental rights and financial responsibilities is crucial. Ensure that you're listed on the child’s birth certificate – unknown to many, if you're an unmarried father or non-birth mother you will not automatically acquire parental responsibility. Parental responsibility are all the rights and obligations attached to a child. This is particularly important if you separate or the parent with parental responsibility were to pass away.

Career changes 

Document any joint decisions about career sacrifices for family life, such as pausing a career to raise children or agreeing to move abroad to support your spouse’s career, and ensure you include financial implications and agreements between partners.

Entrepreneurship and family dynamics

If you're considering embarking on new business ventures, the intersection of personal relationships and professional aspirations requires careful navigation. Business structures, partnership agreements, shareholder structures and working arrangements require particular attention when family members are involved and a holistic approach should be taken to your commercial advice, to ensure your personal interests are protected as well. Professional legal guidance can help establish clear boundaries and protect all parties’ interests.  

Intergenerational wealth: a new approach

The 2024 Autumn Budget has also got many rethinking traditional inheritance approaches and how to pass assets to the next generation, with more considering gifting assets during their lifetimes instead. As you make these decisions, consider the broader family dynamics and long-term implications.

Relocation and moving abroad

Relocating can offer opportunities for lifestyle improvements, tax benefits and business and career growth. However, there are also practical, legal and financial considerations that require careful planning.

• If you have a child, you'll need the consent of all others with parental responsibility before making the move. 
• Different countries have varying legal regimes and you'll be subject to the legal rules of the country you and any children habitually reside in if you later separate. Take advice before you leave the country about what this might mean for you and your family. 
• Consider the visa requirements of the country you are moving to or leaving from. If you've been in the UK on a spousal visa, will this move impact your ability to return?

Ending a relationship

If you've decided that your relationship is at the end of the road, then there are a number of practical steps you can take to help minimise the stress and to navigate a streamlined solution that works for you and your family.

• Maintain open communication from the outset.
• Avoid ‘tit for tat’ or blame and focus on constructive dialogue that prioritises resolution.
• For families with children, develop a unified approach to discussing the separation with them and keep adult discussions out of earshot.
• Consider a divorce coach to help regulate a strategy for the emotional aspects of your break-up.
• Take early legal, financial and tax advice that help you understand your rights and make informed decisions about your future.
• Instructing a lawyer doesn’t need to create controversy. Consider whether you would like to instruct one lawyer together, or if the circumstances require it then consider collaborative law. Both approaches allow you to receive legal advice, sitting around a table with your partner and lawyer(s), and to create solutions together as a family, without lots of correspondence building unnecessary animosity. This emphasis on non-court-dispute-resolution allows couples to maintain control over their separation with dignity and the benefit of professional guidance.  

To discuss any of your private family law issues, please contact our family team.