Family Law Natasha Vassallo Family Law Natasha Vassallo

Family Law Property Settlement FAQ

When people separate (whether from a marriage or a de facto relationship), they usually need to sort out how to divide their assets and debts between them. The term ‘property settlement’ therefore refers to the process of negotiating which party is going to keep which assets and liabilities, making the agreement legally binding, and then taking the steps to implement the agreement.

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Family Law Natasha Vassallo Family Law Natasha Vassallo

Family Law General FAQ

It’s important that you take the appropriate time to come to terms with the separation, ensure that you are in a good headspace and have support systems around you before attending to the legal arrangements for separation. Click here to read some of our practical tips for approaching separation.

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Family Law, Separation and Divorce Tara Paatsch Family Law, Separation and Divorce Tara Paatsch

How to Serve your former spouse with a divorce application

There are particular requirements for service of divorce applications and a number of documents which must be filed with the court to prove that an applicant’s former spouse has received the divorce application in the correct manner.

Here we answer some common questions in relation to service of an application for divorce.

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Family Law Natasha Vassallo Family Law Natasha Vassallo

Can I have a piece of the pie now? - Partial property settlements in family law matters

When going through a separation, it is important that you and your former spouse formalise a final property settlement and take the necessary steps to ensure that your financial ties to each other are cut. However, the process of negotiating and ideally reaching an agreement for a property settlement, making it binding and then implementing the agreement can often take some time.

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Family Law Tara Paatsch Family Law Tara Paatsch

What is a Financial Agreement in Family Law?

A Financial Agreement, or sometimes also called a Binding Financial Agreement, is a document, similar to a private contract, between the parties in a family law matter.

The intention of a Financial Agreement is to remove the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia’s jurisdiction in relation to the financial arrangements of the parties upon their separation, or to address specific issues between them.

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Family Law, Mediation Bridgette Kelly Family Law, Mediation Bridgette Kelly

Why is mediation important in a family law matter?

In family law matters, there is a requirement for parties to try to resolve disputes by making a genuine attempt to negotiate and reach agreement on the issues in dispute.

This includes any matters relating to family law however, primarily it includes reaching agreement regarding care arrangements for children and / or the division of relationship property.

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Family Law Bridgette Kelly Family Law Bridgette Kelly

Family Law Practical Tips

Separation is not easy. In fact, separation is difficult whether it is your decision to separate or not.

There are many things to consider when contemplating separation or you have separated such as your health (including your safety and wellbeing together with any children), care arrangements for children, your financial stability both in the short term and long term and also interactions with your former partner or spouse.

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Family Law Bridgette Kelly Family Law Bridgette Kelly

Debts in Family Law matters

In a recent case of Cao & Trong (2022) FedCFamC1F 754 (4 October 2022) the Court considered debts of the parties which exceeded the value of the matrimonial asset pool available for distribution.

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Family Law Natasha Vassallo Family Law Natasha Vassallo

Business Valuations in Family Law Property Settlements

Business interests often form part of the asset pool available for division in a family law property settlement. It may be a business that has been built by one or both of the parties to the family law matter, such as a family business, or a business owned by way of a partnership or a company with third parties.

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Family Law Natasha Vassallo Family Law Natasha Vassallo

A guide to common family law terms

Relationship breakdowns and separations can be a stressful time as people navigate their parenting matters, property settlements and establish their ‘new normal’. Being involved in the family law system for the first time often means being exposed to a range of new terminology and legal jargon.

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