CLIENT STORY: Financial planning through divorce

From an acrimonious divorce which left her feeling confused and alone to a new-found optimism and excitement about taking control and enjoying everything life has to offer, Pat has been on an incredible journey to financial independence. With the support of the Xentum team, Pat has regained control over her life and her finances – and she is now determined to live every minute to the full.

We are very grateful to Pat for allowing us to tell her story which we hope will help and inspire others who are facing similar life-changing events.

After divorcing her husband of 34 years and being left to figure out her finances on her own, Pat has emerged on the other side with a positive mindset and a long list of adventures.

We’re pleased to have been able to support Pat, guiding her through a terrible time in her life to enable her to develop a clear plan for the future and regain control of her wealth and lifestyle.

How it started…

“When I was married, we had advisors for everything, including our finances, so I didn’t really have a clue about how to manage money myself. We were living an amazing lifestyle and we had other people who made these sorts of decisions for us, so I wasn’t very close to the detail.

“During the divorce I realised how little I knew so had a very quick and steep learning curve – I’m all the better for it! In the early days, I got in touch with a number of different financial advisory firms but didn’t feel I could trust any of them, especially when I started receiving fancy gifts and being offered champagne at events they ran. They saw me as a high net worth individual rather than a person in my own right.

“My solicitor recommended Dominic to me and his first question was: “What do you want from life going forward?” No-one had approached my situation like that before so I knew from the very start that he was acting in my best interests.”

Working with Xentum…

“My mind was a fog. Dominic could see I was suffering and trying unsuccessfully to make fundamental decisions. He started to help me focus on what was important to me and we resolved everything to do with the financial side of life on my own steadily, one by one.”

“Dominic recognised my vulnerability and was incredibly patient. He helped me to think about what I wanted to do and what this meant to my finances. He didn’t overwhelm me but instead took everything one step at a time. We did have some robust discussions and it took time to come to a mutual understanding, though that was all part of the process and I appreciated working with someone who felt able to challenge me.

“The whole Xentum process helped me see where my finances were and plan for the future. This ability to see everything clearly has been very reassuring and has helped me get back on my feet again.”

Living every minute to the full…

“I appreciate my circumstances and I’m grateful for the financial security I have. In the early days after my divorce, I wanted to get my own home set up and sorted out I knew that getting a new home was a priority and I just wanted a nice life.

“Now I want to enjoy my life and get everything I can out of every moment I’ve got. I want the time I have to be the best years and to use every minute to the full. I’ve got a bit of a bucket list going on, there are a lot of places I want to go and experiences I want to have. Nothing crazy like bungee jumping or parachuting, but I want to do things like visit Antarctica and hot air balloon in the Serengeti. Japan, China, and Vietnam are also on my list of adventures.”

The long-term view…

Pat’s wealth is managed by Xentum with regular review meetings and ad hoc discussions relating to big financial decisions Pat wishes to make.

If you’re going through a significant life change such as divorce or bereavement, please get in touch. We understand when you’re at your most vulnerable you need people you can trust to help you make good financial decisions for the long-term. Please click here to arrange an exploratory discussion.