Do I need a PODE report?
Settlements which appear fair today can create unexpected financial consequences years later.
What is a PODE report?
A Pension Sharing Report, often called a ‘PODE report’, is an expert assessment used to help both parties fully understand their pensions and reach fair financial decisions about sharing them.
They establish accurate pension values
They model retirement income for different settlement options
They recommend a fair pension share for both parties
They assess whether pensions should be offset against other assets
Helping both parties make fully informed decisions about one of the most valuable assets in a divorce, whether you’re legally represented or not.
Why might I need a PODE report?
You may need a report because:
You have been instructed to get one by the Court
You have been advised to get one by a lawyer or mediator
You want to know how much of your pensions to share
You want to inform decision making about offsetting and ensure a fair settlement
A PODE report helps ensure the long-term impacts of your financial agreements are properly understood.
You’ll benefit most from a PODE report if…
One or both of you have a Defined Benefit (final salary) pension
There are multiple pensions across different providers
Pension values are significantly different between you
You are considering pension offsetting in divorce
The court or your solicitor has requested a report
You want confidence that the settlement is fair long-term
When you might not need a PODE Report
You may not require a full report if:
There is only one small Defined Contribution pension
Pension values are broadly equal
There is full agreement between both parties
The court has not requested expert evidence
There are no offsetting proposals under discussion
In these situations, a PODE Lite report may be more appropriate, or in some cases, no report at all.
We won’t recommend a report unless it’s genuinely necessary.
Is a PODE report right for my circumstances?
Why it matters if you're receiving a pension share
What looks like a relatively small difference today can have a significant impact on retirement.
A £100k difference in pensions could mean:
Working around four years longer before retiring
Retiring with around £7,700 less income each year
You may get a PODE report and still choose an offset against property or other assets. But you do so knowing the trade offs you’re making.
Why it matters if you're sharing a pension
Understanding the true value of your pension matters just as much.
Without proper analysis, it can be very difficult to know whether a proposed settlement is genuinely fair, especially where Defined Benefit pensions or offsetting are involved.
In recent court cases, such as Lin v Par (2025), agreed settlements have been challenged years later where pensions were not properly taken into account.
You may still decide to offset against other assets or not pursue pension sharing at all. But with a PODE report, you clearly understand the trade-offs.
Can I just use the CEV?
If you ask a pension provider for a valuation, what you get is a CEV or Cash Equivalent Value. Sounds simple.
But CEVs don't always reflect the true value of a pension in the context of divorce. In some cases, the difference can be hundreds of thousands of pounds.
A Pension On Divorce Expert (PODE) will conduct in depth analysis and calculate the real value of your pensions. Then recommend how to share this asset fairly or how its value could be offset against other marital assets like property.
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What a mistake not getting one would have been. I would have been £238k worse off in retirement than I will be now.
— Full PODE Client Feb 2026
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The clarity of your report really felt like a lightbulb moment which started to make things feel better.
— Full PODE Client - March 2026
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It helped reduce the conflict between us. I'm no legal expert so I really appreciated how accessible the final report was.
— PODE Lite Client March 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
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Not all, but we are. We only work as what are called Single Joint Experts or SJE’s. This means, regardless of who instigated contact with us, we work impartially for both parties.
We provide neutral, technical analysis designed to support a fair outcome.
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The simplest way to get clarity about what report type you need is to complete our ‘Do I need a PODE report’ assessment. It takes just a few minutes. Take the assessment here.
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Once all pension information has been received from providers, our reports are prepared within 10 working days.
The main variable which affects overall time frames, is how quickly pension providers supply information we require. We’re not in direct control of this, but have rigorous processes in place to chase providers and ensure they provide the information we need as quickly as possible (read more).
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We have trusted financial planning partners who can assist you with the implementation of your pension share, retirement planning or other financial planning needs.
We can safely share the data we’ve collected to ensure a seamless transition, saving both time and money.