Divorce anddissolution
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“ To be honest, we’d been having problems for years. Not that either of us had been unfaithful
– we’d just fallen out of love. Luckily, we could both agree on that. The level of irritation
gradually grew, and there was more and more tension between us. It was also starting to
affect the kids – children are much more perceptive than we give them credit for. A few
weeks ago, we finally decided to go our separate ways. It was very emotional. After all, we
loved each other, have children together and shared our lives for years. At the same time,
though, we both felt a sense of relief. It’s the beginning of a new chapter. We may have our
rows, but we’ve always been in agreement that our personal affairs should be in order. We
owe it to ourselves and, more importantly, to the kids. Friends of ours recently went through
a bitter divorce. And neither of us wants that.”
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Contents
What now? 4
Your ABN AMRO advisor and Scheidingsexpert are here to help 6
What steps should you take? 10
Useful tips 14
Who does what? 16
Information and advice 19
From A to Z: putting more than just your finances in order
The legal status of your relationship will have an impact on many of the steps you’ll need to take.
What now? Going through a divorce or dissolution can be very
stressful. You’ll need to make a number of important
arrangements and decisions at a time when you may
not always be thinking clearly. Who will live where?
Who gets the kids? What about the finances? Will I have
to work more? Who will help us with all the papers we
need to file? What about our bank accounts and insurance
policies? What will we do with all our stuff? You’re going
to have to make a number of important arrangements
and decisions at this emotionally stressful time, and it
won’t be easy. That’s why it’s important that you take a
practical and thorough approach, and enlist the aid of
an advisor sooner rather than later.
Contact your advisor as quickly as possibleIt’s a good idea to contact an ABN AMRO advisor as soon
as possible. He or she will help you better understand
your financial situation and what you need to do. Expert
guidance will give you peace of mind during this hectic
time.
The steps you’ll need to take will depend largely on
the legal status of your relationship, whether you have
children together, whether you jointly own a home or
are renting, and how many banking and insurance
products you share.
Are you cohabiting?If you cohabit and have children together, you’re required
by law to set out the agreements you make regarding
the care of the children in a statement of arrangements.
If you have no children together, the two of you are free
to simply separate, meaning you won’t need to deal with
any legalities. You might think this would make things
easier, but in everyday life, a lack of rules often results
in grey areas. These can involve the terms set out in your
cohabitation agreement or the home you share, for
instance. Getting sound advice is very important, as is
carefully documenting all the agreements you make.
Do you need to make changes to your banking products?
Your ABN AMRO advisor will be happy to help.
Are you married, or do you have a civil partnership?Are you divorcing your spouse or seeking the dissolution
of your civil partnership? In that case, the court will need
to officially grant your divorce or dissolution order (note
that this requirement does not apply to civil partners
who don’t have children and who are in agreement
about the dissolution). Basically, there are two types
of divorce: the first is by mutual agreement via a joint
petition, an amicable divorce; while the second, commonly
referred to as a contested divorce, involves the two
parties having their own lawyers. In the future, couples
with no minor children will probably also be able to
obtain a divorce or dissolution without filing a petition
with the court, but it’s not yet clear when this change
will be enacted. You can find all the latest information
on our website: abnamro.nl/scheiden
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“ When we got married, I insisted on a prenuptial agreement. Everyone thought this was
very strange. ‘You love each other, don’t you?’ they all asked. Friends wondered if it was
because I had so little faith in the relationship that I was already hedging my bets. But I
honestly wasn’t. I, too, thought we’d live a long and happy life together. Now, though, I
regret that we didn’t ‘balance the accounts’ each year, since today the prenuptial
agreement isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.”
Amicable divorce Contested divorce
You make your own decisions The court makes the decisions
Costs are manageable Costs are high
Reasonably fast process Lengthy process
Arrangements can be made for the future No arrangements can be made for the future
You don’t personally have to go to court, as the procedure is conducted in writing
Both of you must attend a court hearing
The divorce is finalised in one go The divorce is finalised in several steps
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The right advisor at the right time.
ABN AMROand Scheidingsexpert ABN AMRO works with Scheidingsexpert Nederland to
provide advice and mediation services for those seeking
a divorce or dissolution. The Scheidingsexpert approach
is based on impartiality and expertise. Impartiality is
ensured by the fact that Scheidingsexpert is in no way
involved in selling financial products and earns no
commission from financial institutions.
Your ABN AMRO advisor provides insight into your financesYour advisor will be happy to help you get to grips with
your financial and insurance products. What products have
you purchased from us together with your partner? What
would you like to do with them now? In many cases, your
advisor can have certain products – like a current or savings
account – opened for you at the end of your first meeting,
but the usual procedure is that these arrangements are
made only after you and your partner have made final
agreements about the divorce or dissolution. If you wish,
your advisor can refer you to Scheidingsexpert, at no
obligation to you, to see to such matters on your behalf.
If the agreements have already been set out in a signed
separation agreement, or the court has already granted
the divorce or dissolution, your advisor will be happy to
advise you on how all the related agreements should
be carried out. He or she will also walk you through
a complete overview of your new situation, ensuring
that all your financial affairs are once again in order.
Scheidingsexpert: mediation with a solutionYou can request that your Scheidingsexpert mediator
handle all aspects of the divorce or dissolution,
including settlement through the courts. He or she
always confers with both of you and acts in both your
interests. Your Scheidingsexpert mediator is registered
with the Register Financieel Echtscheidingsadviseurs
(Financial Divorce Advisors’ Register), with the
Mediatorsfederatie Nederland (Mediators’ Federation of
the Netherlands), having earned certification in family
mediation, and with the Raad voor Rechtsbijstand (Legal
Aid Board). Using a special model, your mediator can
give you specific insight into your respective financial
positions after the divorce or dissolution. This allows
you to make careful, well-informed decisions for the
future, both for yourselves and for your children.
Collaboration between your ABN AMRO advisor and Scheidingsexpert: fewer worries at a difficult timeNormally, you’d need multiple advisors to get answers
to all your questions during the divorce or dissolution
process – an additional source of anxiety during what is
already a hectic time. Your ABN AMRO advisor and your
Scheidingsexpert mediator will take all this off your hands.
You can also authorise them to coordinate their advisory
services throughout the process. They’ll keep you updated
every step of the way, giving you feedback on the financial
viability of the agreements the two of you plan to make
about things like the home. The agreements you make
will also be detailed in the separation agreement.
To make it even easier for you, your Scheidingsexpert
mediator will additionally inform your ABN AMRO
advisor of the terms of the agreement. He or she can
then quickly make any necessary changes to, and
advise you on, your banking products. Please visit
abnamro.nl/scheiden for more information.
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“ After my divorce, I needed my own bank account again to pay the rent and receive my
salary. That didn’t take long at all, unlike other things which took ages. Like making
agreements with my ex.”
Would you like to learn more about Scheidingsexpert? If so, please visit scheidingsexpert.nl/abnamro, or phone
088 - 831 23 20.
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Enlisting the services of a civil-law notary if you both own the homeIf you’ve agreed that both the home and the mortgage
are to be transferred to your partner, you’ll need to record
this agreement officially in a notarial deed. Don’t forget
to inform your bank or mortgage advisor so they can
record this change as well. Otherwise you could continue
to be partly responsible (jointly and severally liable) for
repaying the outstanding mortgage debt. If you’ve decided
to sell the home and are married under a general community
property regime or have a civil partnership, the value of
the property will be considered part of your joint assets
(assets and liabilities), which are to be divided between
you. If your divorce or dissolution is being arranged
by Scheidingsexpert, you can choose to have your
Scheidingsexpert mediator and ABN AMRO advisor
take care of all this for you.
If the home is transferred to you or yourpartner
Let’s suppose you own a home together. If your
partner wants to continue to live there alone,
he or she will have to buy you out. Since the
whole of the mortgage will also be transferred
to him or her, the terms of the mortgage, too,
will have to be amended. Accordingly, you will
want to request to be released from joint and
several liability, as, in most cases, both partners
are jointly and severally liable – in other words,
each of you is responsible for the outstanding
principal, or mortgage debt.
What do you need to apply to be released from joint and several liability?
To apply to be released from joint and several
liability, you’ll need a signed separation agreement.
If Scheidingsexpert is guiding you through
the process, the application can be submitted
before a separation agreement has been drawn
up. Your ABN AMRO advisor can start to process
the application using the key elements in the
separation agreement which your Scheidingsexpert
mediator communicates to him or her. Your
application is assessed on the basis of these
elements. The bank also evaluates whether the
party wishing to remain in the home can continue
to make the mortgage payments. If the application
is approved, we will draw up an offer for you straight
away and arrange the requested release. If the
application is not approved, your Scheidingsexpert
mediator will work with you to quickly find an
alternative. Only then is the separation agreement
drawn up on the basis of the elements in their
latest form. As a result, you’ll always have an
enforceable separation agreement and know
exactly where you both stand. Your ABN AMRO
advisor will be happy to tell you more about
all this.
In the future, too, ABN AMRO and Scheidingsexpert will be there for youFuture changes – such as fluctuations in your income, a
move, or one or both of you cohabiting with a new partner –
will again result in questions about the agreements you
made and your finances at the time of the divorce or
dissolution. Here, too, your ABN AMRO advisor and
Scheidingsexpert mediator will be there for you with
advice.
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“ We’d grown so far apart that our relationship was more like that of brother and sister.
Life’s just too short, you know? So we decided to split up. We’re still pals, so the divorce
is going very smoothly. Practical issues aren’t a big deal either. I sometimes actually find it
difficult now that I have to do everything myself. It’s hard making certain financial decisions
when you’re on your own.”
Your mediator discusses any desired changes in the
separation agreement with you and your ex-partner to
ensure that no future conflicts arise.
Any amended agreements are then set out for you in a
supplementary separation agreement. Your ABN AMRO
advisor will be happy to advise you on possible changes
to your financial situation and can implement these for
you.
Possible entitlement to legal aid for mediationUp to a certain level of income and assets, you
may qualify for legal aid for mediation. Your
Scheidingsexpert mediator will tell you more
about this and apply for aid on your behalf if
you’re entitled to it. You can find more information
about legal aid at rvr.org
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Step 1: Get expert advice
Have the two of you decided to split up? Then you’re
welcome to come in and discuss your finances with
your ABN AMRO advisor, who can make all the proper
arrangements for you. It’s important to seek expert
advice as soon as possible, since it will give you peace
of mind and help ensure the divorce doesn’t get messy.
Your ABN AMRO advisor will inform you of the steps
you’ll be taking, so you’ll always know exactly where
you stand. Should you so wish, your ABN AMRO
advisor can arrange for Scheidingsexpert to contact
you at no obligation in order to guide you through the
process.
We look forward to guiding you through the divorce or dissolution and putting your finances in order.
What steps should you take?
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Get expert advice
You decide to separate Make an appointment with your ABN AMRO advisor Your ABN AMRO advisor informs you about the steps to be taken in the divorce or dissolution process Your ABN AMRO advisor arranges for Scheidingsexpert to contact you at no obligation
Assess your financial situation
Your ABN AMRO advisor can provide a number of banking products straight away Your Scheidingsexpert mediator discusses the financial, legal and tax implications of the
divorce or dissolution with you Your Scheidingsexpert mediator explains possible solutions based on your wishes You can request that your Scheidingsexpert mediator coordinate these solutions with your
ABN AMRO advisor
Draw up the official separation agreement
Your Scheidingsexpert mediator will draw up the separation agreement Your Scheidingsexpert mediator submits the divorce or dissolution petition to the court and
arranges for the decree to be filed with the Civil Registry
Change existing banking products and/ or request new ones
You can request that your Scheidingsexpert mediator inform your ABN AMRO advisor of the agreements he or she has made with you
Your ABN AMRO advisor will advise you on products and services, and can modify these in accordance with your wishes
Don’t forget to tie up loose ends
Check to be sure all changes to your own financial situation are in order Inform the relevant authorities of your new situation
1.
3.
4.
5.
2.
Step 2: Assess your financial situation
Splitting from your partner means that your joint assets
and liabilities will be divided. Are you cohabiting but don’t
have anything official on paper? Then you’ll need to sit
down and discuss this together. You can authorise your
Scheidingsexpert mediator to inform your ABN AMRO
advisor of all the banking products you currently have
so you won’t have to worry about these. Your mediator
will talk to you about all possible solutions. For instance,
would it be financially viable to transfer the home and
mortgage to one of you? And what will the financial
consequences be? To quickly clarify the situation for you,
your Scheidingsexpert mediator will pass on the key
elements in the separation agreement to your ABN AMRO
advisor, who can then quickly assess your mortgage
application and implement the necessary changes if it
is approved.
Useful websitesThese websites will provide you with useful,
detailed information on a variety of topics
connected with divorce and dissolution.
abnamro.nl/scheiden
On this website, you’ll find more information
on divorce and related topics.
rijksoverheid.nl
Click on the ‘Familie, jeugd en gezin’ link.
berekenkinderalimentatie.nl/abnamro
This website lets you calculate child
maintenance free of charge using the
Child Maintenance Calculator.
Would you prefer to have separateadvisors?
No problem. Just inform your current advisor,
who will then see to it that one of you is
assigned a second advisor to jointly oversee
your financial affairs. Naturally, we’ll ensure
that the transfer is seamless. Please bear in
mind that both your signatures will be required
in order to discontinue many of the products
you currently share.
“ The day we had to tell the children was the worst day of my life.”
Speed things up by coming in togetherIt’s best if the two of you can come in together. That way you’ll both get the same information and the process of duly separating your financial products will be faster.
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Individual current accounts can often be opened immediatelyEven before the divorce or dissolution order has been
granted, your ABN AMRO advisor can provide you with
certain products straight away – like a new current or
savings account in your name only, which will help you
keep a close eye on what you’re spending. However,
it’s often a good idea to do this after you’ve discussed
it with your partner and Scheidingsexpert mediator so
that there are no unpleasant surprises.
Step 3: Draw up the official separation agreement
If you’re married, your Scheidingsexpert mediator will
draw up a separation agreement for you spelling out all
the agreements you’ve made with your partner regarding
the distribution of assets, where both of you are
going to live, any maintenance and the statement of
arrangements for children. After both of you have
signed the agreement, it is submitted to the court.
Only after the decree has been filed with the Civil
Registry are you officially divorced. If the two of you
are able to reach agreement quickly, a divorce can
be obtained within three months. If you have a civil
partnership, you will need to file for a dissolution order.
Your Scheidingsexpert mediator can arrange this for
you, too. If you cohabit but don’t have a cohabitation
agreement, you don’t need any official documents to
establish the dissolution of the relationship. If you do
have a cohabitation agreement, it will contain the
agreements you made together. Other matters which
may need to be seen to will depend on the terms of
the agreement and often give rise to questions. Your
Scheidingsexpert mediator can advise you on these
as well.
Under what circumstances is a separation agreement needed?In many cases, the separation agreement is one of the
documents we need in order to provide new products
or make changes to existing ones. We also need the
agreement to be able to discuss your current and future
personal and financial situation. For some products and
services, a draft agreement will be sufficient to start
with. If Scheidingsexpert is overseeing the process, we
can start processing your mortgage application without
a draft or final agreement.
Step 4: Change existing banking products and/or request new ones
We can have certain banking products, like a current
account, opened for you before the divorce or dissolution
is finalised. We can also discuss life insurance and
savings products with you in terms of how they relate
to the draft agreement. To make changes to, terminate
or finalise your mortgage and other products or services,
we will need the final agreement, even if you have
enlisted the services of Scheidingsexpert.
Step 5: Don’t forget to tie up loose ends
If you and your ex-partner owned a home together,
you’ll probably have to make one last visit to a civil-law
notary after the divorce or dissolution has been granted
– to effect the official transfer of the home, for instance.
This is also a good time to inform other authorities
(such as the municipality and the power company),
change your will, have your tax return prepared for the
year in which the divorce took place and assess the
impact of the divorce on your pension. Your ABN AMRO
advisor and Scheidingsexpert mediator will help you tie
up all these loose ends. It goes without saying that
your advisor will do everything he or she can to get
your financial life back on track as quickly as possible.
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More information on bankingYou’ll find more information on divorce and related
topics at abnamro.nl/scheiden
International aspects of divorceDid you get married outside the Netherlands? Are either
you or your partner not a Dutch citizen, or do one or
both of you live outside the Netherlands? In any of
these cases, you’ll have to deal with various international
aspects of divorce, which unfortunately can make the
process even more complicated than it already is.
Where international divorces are concerned, you should
always determine which aspects can be dealt with in the
Netherlands and which can’t – you’ll need to consider
maintenance, assets, pension and agreements involving
the children. The national law applicable may be
different depending on a given aspect of the divorce.
It’s obviously very important to explore all these aspects
so that you’re well informed of the consequences in
each case.
Together with Scheidingsexpert, we can assist you in
this complex process, providing insight into all your
options. Your ABN AMRO advisor and Scheidingsexpert
mediator will either help you in your own language or
hire an interpreter.
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It always pays to plan ahead.
Useful tips No need to wait until your home is sold to proceedIf the two of you have decided to go your separate ways
and put the home on the market, you might think it’s best
to wait until it sells before you file for a divorce or dissolution.
But that’s not the case. The financial implications of
your current situation and the future sale of the home
can be assessed straight away, and the financial
arrangements regarding the property while it is on the
market and once it is sold can be agreed and recorded
in the separation agreement. This approach helps you
avoid surprises and will give you peace of mind and
clarity while the house is up for sale, an invariably
stressful time.
Do you wish to continue living in the home you bought together?If both of you own the home, you’ll need to buy out
your ex-partner. An independent estate agent can value
the home for you. Together you’ll have to come to
agreements on any equity or negative equity in the
home. Your ABN AMRO advisor will be happy to assist
you in all such matters.
Is your ex-partner paying the mortgage interest? If one of you continues to live in the home that the two
of you bought together, there can be vastly different tax
implications. For example, will your ex-partner continue
to pay the full mortgage interest? From a tax perspective,
such payments could be construed as maintenance you
have received. Your Scheidingsexpert mediator can give
you more information about this and ensure that
everything is reported correctly on your income tax return.
Transferring the mortgage to one of youYour advisor will be happy to determine the financial
viability of such an arrangement for you or your partner.
Bear in mind that this may not be possible if, for instance,
▶ it will take two incomes to continue to pay off the
mortgage. The income of the partner taking over the
mortgage is insufficient.
▶ other debts need to be repaid first. The income of
the partner taking over the mortgage is no longer
sufficient.
More information on divorce and housing?Visit abnamro.nl/scheidenenwonen for more information.
Applying to the NHG
Do you have a mortgage with the National
Mortgage Guarantee Scheme (NHG)? If so,
you may be able to apply to the NHG if the
home has to be sold as a result of the divorce
or dissolution, and the mortgage debt exceeds
the sale proceeds. Your advisor can tell you
more about the requirements.
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Do you and your partner have children together?If you have minor children and plan to share custody,
you’ll need to draw up a statement of arrangements for
children, a requirement introduced in the Netherlands in
2009. The statement of arrangements must meet various
minimum requirements, detailing the agreements on
custody, care, education and maintenance. You will also
need each other’s consent when it comes to important
decisions about the children. Your Scheidingsexpert
mediator can advise you on these matters and draw up
the statement of arrangements for you.
What about the children’s right to decide?People often think that children twelve years and older
are allowed to decide for themselves which parent
they want to live with. However, they don’t actually
have that right until they reach the age of majority (in
other words, they have to be at least eighteen years
old). They can, of course, voice their opinion, which
the court will take into account.
What happens to your pension?A divorce or dissolution can have consequences for the
pension you’ve built up. If you’re married or have a civil
partnership, you’ll need to make agreements on this
in the separation agreement. Your Scheidingsexpert
mediator can help you with this.
Are you splitting up, but share a business?This can have a profound effect on your personal
financial situation. Scheidingsexpert also specialises
in giving separation advice to entrepreneurs. Your
ABN AMRO advisor will be happy to put you in touch
with them. Your advisor and your ABN AMRO business
advisor will be happy to answer all your questions
about banking.
Avoid future problems and legal actionMany future changes can be identified at the time of
the divorce or dissolution – for example, a child turning
eighteen, retirement and fluctuations in income. It’s a
good idea to make agreements on these things now
and include them in the separation agreement to avoid
having to go back to court in the future to resolve
potential problems.
Don’t forget to change your will
If you fail to change your will after you split up,
there’s a chance that your ex-partner could still
inherit all or part of your estate in the event of
your death. An up-to-date will can help you avoid
many undesirable situations.
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Who does what?Steps 1. Get expert advice
2. Assess your personal financial situation
3. Draw up the official separation agreement
4. Change existing banking products or request new ones
5. Don’t forget to tie up loose ends
1A. You seek help in obtaining a divorce or dissolution
2A. Start mediation 2B. Gather information 2C. Hold mediation sessions 2D. Assess housing requirements
3. Draw up final agreement 4. Finalise joint products 5. Hold final session, and inform authorities
You’re going your separate ways. What now? What arrangements do you need to make, and who do you turn to for help?
In mediation, you choose to make agreements by mutual consent with the help of a mediator. If Scheidings- expert is guiding you through the process, all your financial, legal and tax matters are also covered.
Your personal, legal and tax information is needed if both of you want to understand what your financial situations will look like after the divorce or dissolution.
The mediator will guide you during these sessions so that both you and your ex-partner can be open and honest and get peace of mind.
Are your housing requirements realistic? If one of you wishes to remain in the home you bought together, the mortgage must be transferred to a single name. Will the bank agree to this?
The agreements are put down on paper, both of you sign the agreement, and the divorce or dissolution is finalised.
Now that you are officially divorced, your banking products can be modified to reflect your new situation.
The divorce is behind you, so now it’s time to dot the i ’s and cross the t ’s.
You... � Tell the children together. This will give them the feeling that you’re both still their parents and will continue to care for them.
� Sit down and make a conscious choice about whether you want an amicable or a contested divorce – you can either proceed together with the help of a mediator, or be at loggerheads with one another, each with your own lawyer.
� Choose a professional, impartial expert, someone who will act in both your interests and who will ensure that the process goes smoothly.
� Don’t act hastily. Don’t make changes to your financial or other affairs before first discussing them with your soon-to-be ex-partner.
� Sign the mediation agreement. � Sign the power of attorney so that
Scheidingsexpert can obtain your financial information from ABN AMRO.
� Gather together all necessary personal, legal and tax information.
� Try to be reasonable with each other and make clear agreements.
� If you choose not to enlist the services of Scheidingsexpert, your first step should be to draw up a separation agreement detailing the transfer of the mortgage to a single name.
� Sign the separation agreement to finalise the agreements you’ve made together.
� Be sure to have your separation agreement handy.
� Make an appointment with an ABN AMRO advisor. If you and your ex-partner owned a home together, you’ll probably have to make one last visit to a civil-law notary after the divorce or dissolution has been granted – to effect the official transfer of the home, for example.
� Check to be sure all changes to your financial situation are in order.
� Inform the relevant authorities, such as the municipality and the power company, of your new situation. Consult the checklist covering what you need to do after a divorce or dissolution.
Your ABN AMRO advisor...
� Ensures that a Scheidingsexpert mediator contacts you at no obligation.
� The bank is not involved in the mediation process. Your ABN AMRO advisor can, however, have a number of banking products opened for you straight away, such as separate current or checking accounts.
� Provides your Scheidingsexpert mediator with your ABN AMRO information if you have signed the power of attorney.
� ABN AMRO is not involved in the mediation process.
� Does not wait until the separation agreement has been finalised to initiate the process using a ‘key elements form’ if you have enlisted the services of Scheidingsexpert.
� Gives you peace of mind by letting you know whether the mortgage is viable or not.
� Discusses the desired mortgage, term and fixed-rate period with you.
� Applies for the desired loan for you.
� ABN AMRO is not involved in drawing up the official separation agreement.
� Changes your joint products to reflect the agreements you’ve made. Examples include closing out joint current or savings accounts or transferring them to a single account holder, and modifying Internet banking authorisations, joint loans or insurance policies.
� Prepares your mortgage application so that it can be executed by a civil-law notary, provided that your separation agreement was drawn up by Scheidingsexpert.
� Discusses your mortgage with you if your separation agreement was not drawn up by Scheidingsexpert. Gives you a definitive answer as to whether your housing requirements are realistic, discusses the desired mortgage, term and fixed-rate period with you, and applies for the desired loan for you.
� Checks whether everything has been satisfactorily finalised.
� Helps you get your financial life back on track as quickly as possible.
� Can give you a clear understanding of your new financial situation on the basis of a financial plan.
Your Scheidings-expert mediator...
� Informs you of the steps to be taken throughout the process.
� Explains the services provided, which are tailored to your personal situation, and tells you how much these cost.
� Checks whether you are eligible for a reimbursement of the costs of mediation by your legal expenses insurer.
� Finds out if you’re entitled to legal aid and files the application.
� Discusses with both of you what your wishes are concerning non-financial issues.
� Discusses with you the agreements made on child care and your individual housing requirements.
� Requests your banking and financial information from ABN AMRO using your power of attorney.
� Gives you a checklist so that you know exactly what information you still need to submit, such as savings account balances with other banks, your prenuptial agreement, will or tax return.
� Shows you what your financial situation will look like after the divorce or dissolution based on your wishes and the agreements you’ve made.
� Shows you how future changes will affect you, and records agreements regarding such changes so that you can avoid potential time bombs. For example, you’re an entrepreneur, so your income fluctuates. Or your children go off to university. And what happens if the spouse required to pay maintenance decides to work more or less, cohabits with a new partner, or retires?
� Discusses your housing requi-rements with the ABN AMRO mortgage advisor at an early stage so you quickly know exactly where you stand.
� Draws up the separation agreement. � Reviews the entire agreement with a second
Scheidingsexpert mediator to ensure that it is accurate.
� Submits the divorce or dissolution petition to the court.
� Arranges for the decree to be filed with the Civil Registry.
� Submits the separation agreement, the court order and the decree to the ABN AMRO advisor.
� Is not involved in making changes to your banking products.
� Can give you a clear understanding of the situation should you or your ex-partner die, and if desired, discusses minimising financial risks with your ABN AMRO advisor.
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Clarity every step of the way.
Steps 1. Get expert advice
2. Assess your personal financial situation
3. Draw up the official separation agreement
4. Change existing banking products or request new ones
5. Don’t forget to tie up loose ends
1A. You seek help in obtaining a divorce or dissolution
2A. Start mediation 2B. Gather information 2C. Hold mediation sessions 2D. Assess housing requirements
3. Draw up final agreement 4. Finalise joint products 5. Hold final session, and inform authorities
You’re going your separate ways. What now? What arrangements do you need to make, and who do you turn to for help?
In mediation, you choose to make agreements by mutual consent with the help of a mediator. If Scheidings- expert is guiding you through the process, all your financial, legal and tax matters are also covered.
Your personal, legal and tax information is needed if both of you want to understand what your financial situations will look like after the divorce or dissolution.
The mediator will guide you during these sessions so that both you and your ex-partner can be open and honest and get peace of mind.
Are your housing requirements realistic? If one of you wishes to remain in the home you bought together, the mortgage must be transferred to a single name. Will the bank agree to this?
The agreements are put down on paper, both of you sign the agreement, and the divorce or dissolution is finalised.
Now that you are officially divorced, your banking products can be modified to reflect your new situation.
The divorce is behind you, so now it’s time to dot the i ’s and cross the t ’s.
You... � Tell the children together. This will give them the feeling that you’re both still their parents and will continue to care for them.
� Sit down and make a conscious choice about whether you want an amicable or a contested divorce – you can either proceed together with the help of a mediator, or be at loggerheads with one another, each with your own lawyer.
� Choose a professional, impartial expert, someone who will act in both your interests and who will ensure that the process goes smoothly.
� Don’t act hastily. Don’t make changes to your financial or other affairs before first discussing them with your soon-to-be ex-partner.
� Sign the mediation agreement. � Sign the power of attorney so that
Scheidingsexpert can obtain your financial information from ABN AMRO.
� Gather together all necessary personal, legal and tax information.
� Try to be reasonable with each other and make clear agreements.
� If you choose not to enlist the services of Scheidingsexpert, your first step should be to draw up a separation agreement detailing the transfer of the mortgage to a single name.
� Sign the separation agreement to finalise the agreements you’ve made together.
� Be sure to have your separation agreement handy.
� Make an appointment with an ABN AMRO advisor. If you and your ex-partner owned a home together, you’ll probably have to make one last visit to a civil-law notary after the divorce or dissolution has been granted – to effect the official transfer of the home, for example.
� Check to be sure all changes to your financial situation are in order.
� Inform the relevant authorities, such as the municipality and the power company, of your new situation. Consult the checklist covering what you need to do after a divorce or dissolution.
Your ABN AMRO advisor...
� Ensures that a Scheidingsexpert mediator contacts you at no obligation.
� The bank is not involved in the mediation process. Your ABN AMRO advisor can, however, have a number of banking products opened for you straight away, such as separate current or checking accounts.
� Provides your Scheidingsexpert mediator with your ABN AMRO information if you have signed the power of attorney.
� ABN AMRO is not involved in the mediation process.
� Does not wait until the separation agreement has been finalised to initiate the process using a ‘key elements form’ if you have enlisted the services of Scheidingsexpert.
� Gives you peace of mind by letting you know whether the mortgage is viable or not.
� Discusses the desired mortgage, term and fixed-rate period with you.
� Applies for the desired loan for you.
� ABN AMRO is not involved in drawing up the official separation agreement.
� Changes your joint products to reflect the agreements you’ve made. Examples include closing out joint current or savings accounts or transferring them to a single account holder, and modifying Internet banking authorisations, joint loans or insurance policies.
� Prepares your mortgage application so that it can be executed by a civil-law notary, provided that your separation agreement was drawn up by Scheidingsexpert.
� Discusses your mortgage with you if your separation agreement was not drawn up by Scheidingsexpert. Gives you a definitive answer as to whether your housing requirements are realistic, discusses the desired mortgage, term and fixed-rate period with you, and applies for the desired loan for you.
� Checks whether everything has been satisfactorily finalised.
� Helps you get your financial life back on track as quickly as possible.
� Can give you a clear understanding of your new financial situation on the basis of a financial plan.
Your Scheidings-expert mediator...
� Informs you of the steps to be taken throughout the process.
� Explains the services provided, which are tailored to your personal situation, and tells you how much these cost.
� Checks whether you are eligible for a reimbursement of the costs of mediation by your legal expenses insurer.
� Finds out if you’re entitled to legal aid and files the application.
� Discusses with both of you what your wishes are concerning non-financial issues.
� Discusses with you the agreements made on child care and your individual housing requirements.
� Requests your banking and financial information from ABN AMRO using your power of attorney.
� Gives you a checklist so that you know exactly what information you still need to submit, such as savings account balances with other banks, your prenuptial agreement, will or tax return.
� Shows you what your financial situation will look like after the divorce or dissolution based on your wishes and the agreements you’ve made.
� Shows you how future changes will affect you, and records agreements regarding such changes so that you can avoid potential time bombs. For example, you’re an entrepreneur, so your income fluctuates. Or your children go off to university. And what happens if the spouse required to pay maintenance decides to work more or less, cohabits with a new partner, or retires?
� Discusses your housing requi-rements with the ABN AMRO mortgage advisor at an early stage so you quickly know exactly where you stand.
� Draws up the separation agreement. � Reviews the entire agreement with a second
Scheidingsexpert mediator to ensure that it is accurate.
� Submits the divorce or dissolution petition to the court.
� Arranges for the decree to be filed with the Civil Registry.
� Submits the separation agreement, the court order and the decree to the ABN AMRO advisor.
� Is not involved in making changes to your banking products.
� Can give you a clear understanding of the situation should you or your ex-partner die, and if desired, discusses minimising financial risks with your ABN AMRO advisor.
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Collaboration with ScheidingsexpertABN AMRO works with Scheidingsexpert Nederland
to provide advice and mediation services for those
seeking a divorce or dissolution. For more information
about the services provided by Scheidingsexpert
Nederland, please visit scheidingsexpert.nl/abnamro,
or phone 088 - 831 23 20.
Impartial and professional The Scheidingsexpert approach is based on impartiality
and expertise. Impartiality is ensured by the fact that
Scheidingsexpert is in no way involved in selling
financial products and earns no commission from
financial institutions.
All Scheidingsexpert mediators are registered with the
Register Financieel Echtscheidingsadviseurs (Financial
Divorce Advisors’ Register), with the Mediatorsfederatie
Nederland (Mediators’ Federation of the Netherlands),
having earned certification in family mediation, and with
the Raad voor Rechtsbijstand (Legal Aid Board). You may
be entitled to legal aid. If so, your Scheidingsexpert
mediator will tell you more about this and apply for aid
on your behalf.
Checklist
What do you need to do after a divorce or dissolution? Apply for housing and care benefits
Apply for/modify childcare benefit
Request/amend provisional tax assessments
Apply for/modify child-related budget
Change health insurance
See to family coverage liability insurance
See to other non-life insurance policies
No-claims bonus car insurance
Contact National Vehicle and Driving Licence
Registration Authority to transfer number plates
Deregister from the Persons Database to
qualify for child-related budget
Make name changes to passport
Change passwords known by your ex-partner
Change your will
Always reachable by phoneWe’re available by phone day or night. Phone 0900 - 0024*
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
BranchesFor questions about our products and services, you can
also stop in at one of our branches.
Brochures You can obtain our brochures from any ABN AMRO
branch or by phoning 0900 - 0024*.
* Calls are charged at your service provider’s standard rate. The cost of the call depends on your service provider.
Internet
Visit abnamro.nl for detailed information about
our products and services. You can also find us
twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week
on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Follow us
for news on the latest developments, handy
tips and special offers. You can also make
suggestions and put questions to us. In most
cases, we can resolve your problems right away.
ABN AMRO can be reached in various ways, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Information and advice
19
About ABN AMROABN AMRO Bank N.V. has its registered office at Gustav Mahlerlaan 10, 1082 PP Amsterdam (the Netherlands). Tel.: 0900 - 0024*. Internet: abnamro.nl
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. holds a banking licence from De Nederlandsche Bank N.V. (the Dutch central bank), the Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM – Authority for the Financial Markets) and the European Central Bank. ABN AMRO Bank N.V. may act as a provider of payment, savings and credit products; as an intermediary for payment, savings, credit and insurance products; and as an investment firm for all investment services and activities and related services.
Information about ABN AMRO Bank N.V.’s complaints procedure and the dispute resolution bodies to which ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is affiliated is available from abnamro.nl/klachtenregeling or by calling 0900 - 0024*.
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is subject to the Investor Compensation Scheme and the Deposit Guarantee Scheme. You can find further information about this at abnamro.nl/garantieregeling or you can request it by phoning 0900 - 0024.
ABN AMRO Bank N.V. is registered with the Commercial Register of the Amsterdam Chamber of Commerce no. 34334259. VAT registration number: NL 820646660B01.
About this brochureThis brochure provides general information only and has not been tailored to your personal situation. Please note that the brochure does not advise you to act or refrain from acting. Any decisions you make based on this information will be at your own risk.
We have attempted to use reliable sources to create this brochure, but cannot guarantee that all information is correct, complete or up to date.
ABN AMRO is the copyright holder.
This brochure is intended for our customers in the Netherlands. We cannot guarantee that the information in the brochure is valid in other countries.
* Calls are charged at your service provider’s standard rate. The cost of the call depends on your service provider.