It’s becoming more and more common for adult children to rely on the so-called “bank of mum and dad” for financial help when buying property, investing in business, or getting out of a sticky situation. Grandparents are often also relied on for financial support, or to provide free child care. That all adds up [...]
Spouse maintenance is financial support paid by one person to their former spouse or de facto partner in circumstances where they are unable to support themselves. Ordinarily, applications for spouse maintenance must be made within 12 months of the divorce order taking effect (for married couples) or two years from the date of separation [...]
After a relationship breakdown, your child’s wishes can form important evidence in deciding parenting orders. Usually, the older the child gets, the more weight is placed on their wishes. However, in some cases, this can lead to the child being influenced by their parent, even if that influence takes place unknowingly as a type [...]
Australians have sadly become use to the term “family violence” to mean physical or emotional abuse that takes place within a relationship. There is also another term that is considered to be family violence under the Family Law Act, and that is economic and financial abuse. Financial abuse is a pattern of behaviours used [...]
Family Violence is on the increase, the Family Court has taken a lot of steps to deal with it, from new forms, to systems and processes and hopefully better outcomes, it’s important to know what’s going on. [...]
Determining what a child's wishes are with regard to which parent they wish to live with after separation is one of the most common and challenging questions in Family Law. The best way to consider the issue is to have the child speak to someone independent, this is usually done by way of a [...]
When you’re in the middle of a relationship breakdown, tax problems might be the last thing on your mind. But CGT can have a serious impact on the value of a property settlement and it’s something everyone should be aware of. Capital gains is a federal tax payable on money made by the sale, [...]
Every year, millions of Australians experience family or domestic violence. The impact can be far-reaching, causing social isolation, unemployment, financial destitution, injury and, as we have seen too many times in this country, death. Here are some helpful resources. There are a number of support services available to people impacted by domestic or family [...]
Many couples feel their relationship has broken down but they continue to live in the same house. The law recognises 'separation under the one roof' as 'separation' – but what is actually required? Separation under one roof is when a couple have separated, but continue to live in the same house. It may be [...]
With most families these days having both parents working, grandparents play a big role in the lives of many families. This can take many forms, [...]
