A separation or divorce is not only an emotional change. Your finances need to be reorganized too. Many couples share an account, pay bills together, or hold contracts jointly. This guide walks through the practical steps involved. It covers general tips for organizing your own money, not legal advice.
Your joint account: splitting it up or closing it
A joint account is a bank account owned by two people together. Both people can access it, withdraw money, and make payments. After a separation, it helps to sort out what happens to this account as soon as possible.
There are generally two options: close the account, or let one person keep it while the other is removed as a co-holder. Either option usually needs both account holders to agree, or depends on what your bank's terms allow. Talk to your bank directly, whether at a branch, by phone, or through the messaging feature in your banking app.
While the joint account is still open, either person can often withdraw money alone. If trust has broken down, ask your bank whether a temporary block, or a switch to "joint signature only" (where both people must approve a payment), is possible. That way, no one can use up the whole balance alone.
Checking standing orders and direct debits
A standing order is a payment your bank sends automatically on a set date, for example your rent. A direct debit works the other way around: a company, such as your energy provider, collects the money from your account itself, based on permission you gave earlier.
Go through the list of all standing orders and direct debits on the joint account. For each one, ask: who is responsible for this payment now? Common examples include rent, insurance, streaming subscriptions, memberships, or a shared loan. Cancel or change anything that no longer fits your new situation, and set up new standing orders on your own account instead.
If you had a loan together, for a car or another purchase, talk to the bank early about how the repayments will continue. You can read more about loans at /en/loans.
Opening your own account
If you do not already have your own current account (an account held only in your name for everyday payments), now is a good time to open one. Your own account gives you full control over your money, independent of the other person.
Opening one is usually simple: you need valid identification, and you fill out an application with the bank, either in person or online. Many banks let you open an account entirely through their app or website, including identity checks done by video. You can compare personal accounts at /en/personal-accounts.
Updating your salary and other payments
If your salary currently goes into the joint account, tell your employer your new account number as soon as your own account is ready. The same applies to other regular income, such as child benefit, a pension, or rental income. Remember refunds too, for example from the tax office or an insurance company, and give them your new account details as well.
Make a short list of everyone who currently sends money to the joint account. This way you will not forget anyone important, and you will avoid money continuing to flow into an account you may no longer have access to later.
Protecting your access and passwords
If the other person knows your online banking login, meaning your username and password for the bank's app or website, change them as soon as possible. The same goes for the PIN (personal identification number) on your bank card, if the other person knows it.
Also check whether the other person's banking app is still installed on your phone, or whether your own app is set up on a device you used to share. Log out of your account on any shared devices, and remove your app from them. Change the password for your email account too, if banking notifications arrive there, since anyone with access to your email can often reset a bank account as well.
You do not have to do all of this in a single day. Work through these steps calmly, one at a time. No one expects you to remember every detail right away, and taking it step by step is completely fine.