More than two-thirds of divorcees had not discussed their pensions during divorce proceedings, research from Interactive Investor has revealed.

It found that women were likely at a greater risk of missing out on pension money in divorce, with 75 per cent of divorced women surveyed admitting to not talking about pensions as part of their settlement, compared to 56 per cent of divorced men.

The first working day of the New Year has been dubbed ‘Divorce Day’ due to the spike in couples seeking to end their marriage following the festive period.

Interactive Investor noted that property, investments and savings are usually the financial assets that first come to mind in divorce, but pensions are often left out the conversation despite usually being the biggest asset.

Discussing the findings, Interactive Investor senior personal finance analyst, Myron Jobson, noted that people “grossly underestimate” the value of pensions, which account for 42 per cent of household wealth on average.

“Our research shows that most couples don’t discuss pensions during divorce proceeding, which is leading to many people – particularly women – missing out on future income which probably should have been theirs,” she continued.

“The toll of the emotional stress during divorce proceedings, the misconception that other assets take precedence and a critical lack of awareness regarding the long-term financial implications are among the reasons why pensions aren’t considered.

“The ever-shifting pensions landscape doesn’t help matters, making it difficult for people to assess the real, long-term value of pension pots.

“Pension considerations in a divorce are not always straightforward. Offsetting them against other assets such as property might work for some, while splitting the pension or earmarking future payouts may work for others.”

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