According to Kate Daly, relationship expert and co-founder of online divorce services company Amicable, even if you’re blissfully happy, it’s always a good idea to plan how you’d manage if things ended.

“It may sound pessimistic, but you have to think about what might happen if you don’t make it,” Daly explains. “Too many people go into marriage without really understanding what it means legally. If the relationship ends, they’re left in a precarious financial position or feeling like they’ve not been fairly compensated. If you’re on the cusp of marriage or a long-term commitment to somebody, you need to be clear about both of your expectations when it comes to family roles, household responsibilities and financial arrangements. If you don’t, they’re the things that will come and trip you up later down the line. It’s so easy to just get caught up in the moment, not think things through and end up married without really understanding what that means and what the entitlements are if it comes to divorce. At the same time, you should never use marriage as a vehicle for just getting financial security. The way the law currently stands, if a marriage ends, assets are divided and you can become disadvantaged without really knowing it.”

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