Son's financial assets, what claim does his gf have on them?

[Scarletpimpofnel]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 18 August 2024 at 21:45

[limpsfield]

Scarletpimpofnel said:

Hi my son has an oddball gf and whilst they have been living together in a rental for several years there's not much guarantee how long it will last. I have given him many assets which he invests under his own name only.

If they split will his gf have any claim on any of his assets? He doesn't own his own property but does have significant cash invested in ISA, share portfolio, pension and a BTL property.

Would a gf of 5 years have any claim on any of these assets if they split?

Thanks.

The quick answer is no.

e.g. https://www.teeslaw.com/insights/legal-rights-unma...

[WY86]

Just got to hope he doesn’t knock her up.

[Panamax]

limpsfield said:

The quick answer is no.

^^ This. But it's a whole different kettle of worms if any kids get involved.

[Scarletpimpofnel]

Cool, thanks for your advice. So it's bumper boxes of condoms every birthday and Christmas from now on and hope he takes the hint.

[anonymous-user]

The above answers are indeed correct.

There is a persistent myth of ‘common law wife’ around cohabiting, which never seems to go away, but it is just a myth.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Panamax said:

limpsfield said:

The quick answer is no.

^^ This. But it's a whole different kettle of worms if any kids get involved.

Only in as much as he will be liable to support his child. But as his girlfriend, legally she's a complete nobody, and would have no claim on his assets. She'd have no more claim than a complete stranger he'd knocked up in a broom cupboard, Boris Becker style.

[pork911]

HMRC may have some claim though.

[boyse7en]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Only in as much as he will be liable to support his child. But as his girlfriend, legally she's a complete nobody, and would have no claim on his assets. She'd have no more claim than a complete stranger he'd knocked up in a broom cupboard, Boris Becker style.

Not sure that's the best example, as Boris ended up paying the cupboard sharing mother of his child £2million

[Panamax]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Only in as much as he will be liable to support his child.

Mother and child will need a nice home and then there's the latest figures which suggest the cost of raising a child to 18 can be up to £200,000 for a lone parent, depending what part of the country.

[98elise]

Lord Marylebone said:

The above answers are indeed correct.

There is a persistent myth of ‘common law wife’ around cohabiting, which never seems to go away, but it is just a myth.

Agreed. As someone who has cohabited for decades I've corrected loads of people who think otherwise. I'm sure there are lots of partners who think they have security if they split, yet have no such thing in reality.

In our case we've made sure that my partner does have security for that very reason.

My solicitor describes cohabiting couples as "strangers in law"

[BoRED S2upid]

Worth putting the BTL in a joint name? Easily done it’s just another name on the deeds and a few quid to land registry. Just in case the worst happens.