In the matter of S

This is the wife's application for ancillary relief following a divorce. The issues falling for determination are the wife's application for a lump sum and the quantum of her periodical payments. The parties agree that this is not a case where a clean financial break can be achieved.

We will set out the relevant factors as we find them. For the avoidance of doubt, in so far as the matters set out differ from the evidence of the husband, the wife or the two accountants, this is because we have preferred the evidence of another or because we consider that the documents produced confirm our findings of fact.

The parties were married on 30 th August 1986 when the husband was 25 and the wife 24. It was a first marriage for both of them and there was no significant period of cohabitation prior to the marriage.

There are three children of the marriage, namely C, who is almost 21 years old, D, who is 14 years old and E, who is 13 years old.

Throughout the early years of the marriage, the wife worked full-time as a legal secretary and then as a marketing executive before reducing to part-time, moving to trust administration and latterly, compliance. By way of a joint decision she ceased paid employment in 2003, because the husband's income was sufficient to sustain the family.