A divorce ends the marriage, but not your financial connection. Without a Clean Break Order, your ex could make future claims — even years after you’re legally divorced.
It’s a common misunderstanding that divorce automatically settles everything. In reality, the Final Order (formerly called Decree Absolute) only ends the legal marriage. It does not automatically end the financial relationship between you and your ex-spouse. Without a Clean Break Order, your ex could take legal action in the future to claim money, assets, or property — even if you’ve both moved on and started new lives.
Divorce doesn’t end financial ties
When a divorce is granted, the legal bond between you and your ex-partner is dissolved — but the financial link still exists in the eyes of the law. Unless you take steps to close that link, it remains open indefinitely. This means that either person could make financial claims years after the divorce is finalised.
For example, if you receive an inheritance five years from now, or start a successful business, your former spouse may legally try to claim part of it. Even if the marriage was short or ended amicably, the law doesn’t stop them from applying to the court for a financial order unless a Clean Break Order has already been granted.
This is not just a legal technicality — there are real cases where claims were made 10, 15, even 20 years after divorce, because no clean break was put in place.
What if we’ve already agreed everything?
A lot of couples reach informal agreements about who keeps what. But unless that agreement is legally turned into a court order, it isn’t enforceable. An informal or verbal arrangement won’t stop either person from making a claim later.
Let’s say you both agreed to keep your own savings and walk away. That agreement might seem fair now, but if one of you wins the lottery or your financial circumstances change dramatically, the other person might reconsider and try to challenge it. Without a Clean Break Order, there’s nothing to prevent that from happening.
A Clean Break Order formalises what you’ve agreed and makes it legally binding. It gives both of you peace of mind that no one can change their mind or bring a claim later on.
Can I apply after the divorce?
Yes. Ideally, a Clean Break Order should be included during the divorce process, but if it wasn’t, you can still apply afterwards. Many people only find out about it after their divorce is complete and realise too late that they’re still financially exposed.
You can apply for a Clean Break Order months — or even years — after your divorce. However, the longer you leave it, the more risk you take on. The court will still need to review your agreement, and if circumstances have changed significantly, it may not be as straightforward to finalise.
It’s best to deal with it as soon as you can. If you’ve already finalised your divorce and don’t yet have a Clean Break Order, this should be your next step.
What if we have children or support payments?
If you have children, a Clean Break Order won’t deal with child maintenance. Child support is handled separately through the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), and courts do not usually include it in financial orders unless both parties agree to do so.
If one spouse is paying spousal maintenance, you may still be able to agree on a Clean Break — but sometimes it will need to wait until maintenance ends. In these cases, you can have a delayed clean break, where spousal support is paid for a set period, followed by a clean break once payments stop.
Even with ongoing financial commitments like these, it’s still worth securing a Clean Break Order where possible. It can be tailored to your situation, and our legal team can draft one that reflects your specific needs.
Do all couples need a Clean Break?
Not everyone needs one, but most couples do — especially if:
- You want to avoid future financial claims
- You have property, pensions, savings, or debts
- You may inherit money or build assets later
- You want to remarry or invest in your future confidently
- You’ve already agreed on who keeps what
Even couples with no significant assets often choose to get a Clean Break Order, simply for legal closure and to avoid any loose ends. It’s a one-time legal step that protects both of you from further involvement in each other’s financial lives.
How we can help
At Easy Separation UK, we offer a simple, affordable fixed-fee service to help you finalise your divorce and secure a Clean Break Order. Everything is handled online by experienced legal professionals — no court hearings, no delays, no hidden costs.
We’ll draft the Clean Break Order based on your agreement, submit it to the court, and manage the process from start to finish. If your divorce is already complete, we can still help you apply separately.
You don’t need to figure this out alone. We’re here to make sure you’re fully protected and can move forward with confidence.
Need to protect your finances after divorce?
Start your Clean Break Order with us today.
