What the Report covers:

The Report primarily covers the possible methods of dealing with the pension rights within a Final Salary Occupational Pension Scheme (OPS) on divorce. It can however detail Money Purchase Schemes within the Appendix of the report.

There are three options for dealing with pension rights on divorce before these come into payment – earmarking (attachment) although this is rarely used, offsetting and sharing (splitting) – and maintenance orders are also available after they come into payment. Earmarking and Splitting are mutually exclusive on any particular divorce in relation to the same pension.

Offsetting – covers considerations which might be involved in negotiations if this route is chosen. It looks at the values of the benefits available and states, where applicable, the essential range of values for negotiation.

Sharing – covers the considerations involved in deciding whether to use the method of splitting a pension between the partners to a marriage and the appropriate percentage split.

Non-Standard Schemes and Bespoke Service

Some schemes are non-standard by virtue of their more complex benefit structure and therefore require additional work analysing values for negotiation purposes. Certain occupational schemes fall into this category, and other types of schemes such as SSAS arrangements. We will advise you before proceeding if a scheme falls into this section.