How to help your divorcing clients handle holiday stress this Christmas

With Christmas on the horizon, your divorcing clients may be experiencing heightened stress levels. Discover some practical tips for helping them cope.

With Christmas around the corner, your divorcing clients may be feeling increasingly stressed and anxious.

While the holidays often provide a valuable opportunity to relax and build precious family memories, those going through a separation might find this a difficult time.

Indeed, the first Christmas after a relationship breaks down could be challenging on both an emotional and practical level.

Not only might your clients need to face the holidays without their partner, but they could also struggle to access the professional support they need to keep their divorce moving forward.

So, with this in mind, read on to find out how you could support your clients to prepare for the holiday season and reduce any feelings of stress they may be experiencing.

Manage expectations with care

Going through a divorce can be an emotionally vulnerable time and this could be especially true at Christmas.

For example, there may be additional financial pressures and awkward family gatherings to navigate, especially if children are involved.

What’s more, your clients might feel frustrated and powerless if their divorce is placed on hold while businesses (including your own) close during the holidays.

You could help to alleviate your clients’ feelings of apprehension by carefully managing their expectations.

Be clear about when your firm is closing and when it will re-open again in the new year. If there are any periods when you plan to offer a reduced service, such as by providing email support only, make sure your clients understand how this will work.

Additionally, let your clients know how you can support them in the run up to the holidays. This could allow you to help your clients prepare for any period during which you will be unavailable.

Encourage clients to create a plan of action for the holidays

If your clients feel stressed about a potential hiatus in their divorce over Christmas, they might find it reassuring to have a plan of action for the holidays.

This might include:

• Gathering important documents to prepare for legal and financial discussions
• Reviewing their financial situation and clarifying their needs, such as where they want to live
• Exploring different options for their settlement, such as pension sharing arrangements
• Talking to their loved ones and seeking support, such as discussing any changes they want to make to their will or asking for help with childcare
• Collating these tasks and following them up with a to-do list for the new year.

Supporting your clients in creating such a plan could help them feel empowered to keep things moving while you’re unavailable.

What’s more, discussing their next steps and potentially providing them with relevant literature about their options – such as the different pension sharing arrangements – could ensure that their divorce proceeds more smoothly and efficiently after the holidays end.

Emphasise the importance of self-care

The Christmas break could give your clients the time they need to prepare both emotionally and financially for their divorce. As discussed above, using the holidays productively could be beneficial and help to reduce stress.

However, it's also important that anyone going through a divorce recognises the value of self-care. Regardless of the circumstances, a separation can take its toll on an individual’s wellbeing.

So, your divorcing clients might benefit from embracing the holiday season as an opportunity to relax and step back from their divorce preparations.

Indeed, looking after their mental, emotional, and physical health, could allow your clients to feel refreshed and ready to deal with what lies ahead in the new year.

Feeling prepared and organised before the holidays begin might help your clients to prioritise self-care over the holidays.

Signpost your clients to a financial expert

Christmas could create financial pressures that your divorcing clients may feel more keenly without their partner by their side, especially if they have previously relied on their former spouse to manage their wealth.

As a financial expert with years of experience supporting individuals going through divorce, I can help your clients review their financial situation and prepare for the festive season and beyond.

Having a clear understanding of their finances before the holidays begin could allow your clients to use their Christmas productively. Or better yet, having matters in hand might allow them to relax and enjoy a much-needed break, knowing they’re prepared to resume proceedings in the new year.

So, by signposting your divorcing clients to a financial expert, you could help your clients develop the tools they need to handle divorce stress this Christmas.

Get in touch

If your clients could benefit from working with a qualified divorce expert as the festive season approaches and in the new year, they can find me at lottie@truefinancialdesign.co.uk or call 07824 554288.

I am also happy to discuss cases with solicitors first, before you refer your clients to me, or you can contact me by email and CC your client accordingly. I am happy to accommodate whatever mode of communication works best for you and your clients.

Please note

This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate will writing.

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. 

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.