When Joanne, 63, (alias Joanne,) decided to divorce, she went to a lawyer to find out how much money she would receive after the divorce.
Joanne's early marriage was a happy one. She and her husband worked hard to support their families. In their old age, however, their marriage was fraught with difficulties, as they grew estranged and quarrelled to domestic violence.
Joanne, who lives on the Gold Coast, told news in an interview that her husband had made her think they were short of money, which kept her worried about the family's expenses.
Joanne said, "my ex-husband always told me we didn't have enough money to save me some weekly meals."
"when I need more money to buy things for my children or myself, he will tell me that there is no more money and that I or the children will have to give up. He even said that it was difficult for us to afford the basic cost of living and that extra expenses were not allowed. He told me I had to give up all my luxuries and save as much money as I could. "
Joanne's husband has been in control of her bank account, giving her weekly food and bill subsidies. Joanne believed her husband and had no doubt that he was lying to her.
In fact, when she sought advice on divorce law, she realized that they were so rich.
Joanne said: "after we separated, I found that we had 15 properties and had thousands of dollars in our bank account-we had no shortage of money at all."
"I feel cheated. I can't believe I've lived so frugally for so long."
Family lawyer Mary Fedorov (Marie Fedorov) told news.com.au, that Joanne's story is not uncommon, and that many women, especially older people, struggle to manage their finances after divorce.
"usually, one of the couples is in charge of the finances and the other is completely unaware," Fedorov said. "I've noticed that among people over 55, it's common for men to control their finances, and in many cases, women don't care at all, they believe in their husbands."
While most of the cases involved older women, Fedorov said she noted an increase in the number of young men affected.
"in young couples, more and more women are dealing with financial issues," she said. "when couples are separated, husbands often don't know their financial situation."
"if you're going to end a relationship, it's important to consider the financial costs of a comfortable future. Make sure you have enough money to support your and your children's lives, so that even if your predecessors stop depositing their salaries into your common account, you will be able to cover the basic necessary expenses. "
Joanne was worried about her living expenses until she discovered the 15 properties. She relied on her grown-up son to support her.
"but when I realized I had the right to own some assets, I became more relaxed and less worried about my future. "I finally got half of my assets, and for the first time I was financially independent," Joanne said.
"the first thing I did after it was settled was the first time I went to a barber's shop to dye my white hair. I never dared to spend money on my hair in this marriage."
Joanne has some advice to other women: keep track of your finances.
"Don't leave the question to your husband. You should know exactly what you have and what you owe so that you can be more independent in marriage. "