Tuesday 28 July 2015

You know I love Facebook….


I may seem slightly obsessed - but this is an interesting one!

An article in the Telegraph details how it is the case that Facebook is not only part of everyday life, it is now rolling out its ‘legacy contacts’ feature in the UK, which allows users to appoint an executor of their profile after they die.

Vanessa Callison-Burch, product manager at Facebook said ‘Facebook is a place to share and connect with friends and family.  For many of us, it’s also a place to remember and honour those we have lost…When a person passes away, their account account can become a memorial of their life, friendships and experiences.’

Previously accounts would remain frozen as they could not be accessed or updated by anyone.

The Law Society has already urged people to leave clear instructions about what should happen to their digital footprint and digital assets after their death - so remember to pass on these email accounts, passwords and social media profiles when thinking about your Will…..Oh and of course make sure your ‘legacy contact’ is someone who you trust and know well!

To read the full article and see how to access the relevant settings on Facebook please refer to the Telegraph article here.

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Not so hush hush

Splashed all over yesterday’s media was the news that the ‘go to’ website for those that wish to cheat - Ashley Madison - had been hacked.  The hackers claim to have information on ’’all the customers' secret sexual fantasies and matching credit card transactions". The still-unfolding leak could play out to be very damaging to some of its 1 million UK users, whose slogan is “Life is short. Have an affair.”

Ashley Madison founder Noel Biderman, has said the firm believes the hack was an inside job.

A case of not so much 'discreet encounters' and now the Avid Life Media firm which runs Ashley Madison has been forced to respond with an offer of a free permeant delete - that allows members to completely erase profile information, that previously cost them a £12.00 fee.

I think maybe too little too late as the cat it seems is well and truly out of the bag already…..maybe a mediation session to talk through issues would have been a better option rather than to bury heads in the sand over relationship problems and embark on an anonymous affair!  Mediation is a process to help couples who are on the cusp or have decided to separate or divorce to talk things through.  As a trained mediator, I can help you reach agreement about how to make the best arrangements for the future.

Tuesday 14 July 2015

‘Are they covering the cost of the divorce?'

A new programme aired on Channel 4 last Thursday that followed couples that had been chosen as ‘perfect matches’ for marriage, through a process supposedly based on science.  The experiment - which originated in Denmark - saw the couples meet for the first time on their wedding day.

All of this alongside the Office of National Statistics releasing findings relating to marital status and living arrangements. Data now suggests that between 2002 - 2014 the percentage of the population who were single or divorced increased but the proportions who were married or widowed decreased.

Social media went into a frenzy with many suggesting the ‘Married at fist sight’ television programme made a mockery of marriage.  It’s certainly a novel way to search for ‘The One’ and the cynic in me thinks - shall I send them my business card? The stat’s certainly seem to suggest that a divorce lawyer would potentially be required in the future!

The next episode of Married at first sight airs on Thursday at 9pm on Channel 4

The full findings from the Office of National Statistics report can be found here

Sunday 5 July 2015

All in a name


A recent survey by The New York Times has highlighted that up to 20% of women are keeping their maiden names on marriage.

Nova of Washington says -I kept my maiden name because of the trouble and expense of changing my passport, driving license, legal papers, mortgage documents, business cards, etc. I also have an established business and “name” and didn’t want to confuse all of my clients.

Yet there still seems to be some support for the old way of doing things
as Lynn from New York says - Having the husband’s name is more convenient in working with schools and other organisations where the children are enrolled and have their father’s name.

One of my colleagues recently divorced and didn’t like her maiden name and was going to choose a completely new name - so many options!  Eventually she gave up and went back to her maiden name, before re-marrying and ending up with a new surname she actually liked.

If you want any advice about names before or after marriage or divorce then please get in touch. We give free advice so remember that it doesn’t need to cost anything!