A new initiative could see ‘divorce centres’ created across the UK that will enable married couples to complete a split in as little as 24 hours.

There are 120,000 divorces every year in the UK – under the new plans, officials hope the majority of these will be dealt with in these specialist centres within 48 hours at most, The Times reported. Moreover, the cases will be handled by administrative staff rather than qualified judges.

Unsurprisingly, the proposed system has been met with criticism from many groups for both its practical and moral failings. And as many law firms have been quick to point out, one of its biggest flaws could be its inability to handle the complex nature of a divorce.

Frenkels Forensics is regularly instructed to provide its forensic accounting expertise within divorce investigations. This is often because one of the partners wants to complete a full audit of the other’s assets to ensure they achieve a fair divorce settlement.

It can include valuing a partner’s business (or stake therein) as well as their other investments and assets. This is not an easy task – some assets could have been hidden from the other partner, while putting a financial value to these assets can also be extremely difficult.

The idea that a divorce, which is not just emotionally charged but also requires technical assistance, could be resolved and finalised in a day raises concerns over whether the legal separation could be taking place without proper care and instruction.

For non-contentious divorces, the centres may well help speed up proceedings. However, for a great many cases, the best way to reach a quicker and fairer settlement is through precise and thorough preparation with the help of experienced experts.

For expert financial help in settling a divorce contact Frenkels Forensics for an independent appraisal.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for advice in any aspect of forensic accountancy, then do get in touch via Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn or by visiting our website www.frenkels.com

By Vitek Frenkel – find me via Google+.