At First Law Solicitors, we handle complex pension division for high-net-worth individuals and professionals whose wealth is tied to long-term retirement schemes, investments, or international plans. Our solicitors deliver precise, tax-efficient Pension Sharing Orders (PSOs) that balance fairness with future security.
Based in Manchester and serving clients across England and Wales, we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID No: 665823). Each matter is supervised by a senior solicitor with more than twenty years of post-qualification experience in high-value financial remedy proceedings.
A Pension Sharing Order divides pension rights between spouses or civil partners following divorce or dissolution. It is the only mechanism that allows a clean and enforceable division of pension wealth. Once sealed by the Family Court, the order transfers a defined percentage of the pension holder’s fund into a new or existing scheme for the recipient.
Our role is to ensure that the order accurately reflects the total pension value, complies with statutory calculation methods and integrates seamlessly into your overall financial settlement.
For many professionals, pensions represent the largest single component of their marital asset base. Unlike property or savings, pension assets are deferred income streams that require specialist valuation and analysis.
We work closely with accredited actuaries and financial advisers to obtain precise Cash Equivalent Transfer Values, analyse growth potential, scheme structure and tax treatment, and structure Pension Sharing Orders that complement wider property and capital divisions. By aligning pension strategy with property, business and investment planning, we help secure long-term financial stability and fairness.
Following the Autumn 2025 Budget, most unspent pensions will be included within the taxable estate for Inheritance Tax purposes from April 2027. We are already drafting Pension Sharing Orders that anticipate this reform, helping clients mitigate future liabilities through careful pension allocation, trust-based structures and coordinated lifetime planning.
Under Standish v Standish (2025), the court must distinguish between matrimonial and non-matrimonial pension wealth by applying a two-limb test that examines the contributor’s intention at the time the pension was accrued and the subsequent treatment of that pension during the marriage. We apply this framework rigorously to protect pre-marital or inherited pension rights from unnecessary division, while ensuring outcomes remain fair in light of marital contribution and future needs.
The process begins with valuation and disclosure. We obtain full scheme documentation, request updated Cash Equivalent Transfer Values and confirm whether the pension is defined benefit, defined contribution or hybrid in nature. Where valuation timing materially affects fairness, we commission actuarial recalculations to reflect accurate future growth and income projections.
We then move to negotiation and structuring. At this stage, we determine the optimal pension share percentage, balancing future income security against immediate liquidity needs. Where one party is retaining high-value corporate or real-estate assets, we may use pension offsetting to preserve fairness without dividing the pension fund itself.
Once terms are agreed, we incorporate the Pension Sharing Order into the Financial Consent Order and submit it digitally under the Family Procedure Rules 2025. All documentation is executed using Qualified Electronic Signatures in compliance with HM Land Registry and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
After the court seals the order, we liaise directly with pension administrators to ensure implementation is completed correctly and that confirmation statements are issued without delay.
We have extensive experience dealing with executive and public sector pension schemes, including NHS, Teachers’, Armed Forces, Civil Service and company director arrangements. Our work ensures accurate calculation of benefits and protection of accrued rights.
For clients with international or offshore pension arrangements, including Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes, we coordinate with foreign trustees and advisers to secure recognition and enforcement of UK Pension Sharing Orders.
Where a full pension split is impractical or undesirable, we negotiate pension offsetting solutions or deferred clean break arrangements that preserve retirement provision while maintaining overall fairness within the settlement.
We use Predictive Settlement Modeling to simulate hundreds of potential judicial outcomes based on 2026 Family Court data. This analytical approach forecasts likely pension share ranges and long-term income equivalence, enabling you to negotiate from a position of evidence-based confidence rather than assumption.
A Pension Sharing Order should never operate in isolation. We integrate every order within the wider Financial Consent Order to ensure consistent tax treatment, clear clean break provisions and full compliance with the Family Procedure (Digital Execution) Rules 2025.
Our coordination with accountants and wealth managers ensures that the final settlement is both enforceable and tax-efficient, with no unintended exposure arising from pension implementation.
At First Law Solicitors, we approach pension division as strategic wealth management rather than simple arithmetic. We protect earned retirement assets against overreach or misclassification, apply precision by aligning Pension Sharing Orders with actuarial evidence and judicial trends, and ensure permanence by future-proofing orders against tax and regulatory change.
Our objective is not merely to divide pension assets, but to design a retirement framework that remains secure and effective long after the final order is made.
If your divorce involves substantial pension assets, contact First Law Solicitors today. We provide sophisticated and discreet advice to protect your future income and ensure a compliant, enforceable division of retirement wealth.
Call +44 161 768 9908
Complete our secure online enquiry form to arrange your consultation.
Copyright © 2025. First Law Solicitors. All Rights Reserved
