When your relationship breaks down, how can you confidently reach agreement with your partner about dividing up your property, or agreeing on living arrangements for your children, if you don’t know your rights and entitlement under family law?

For example, many people think that if the main income earner buys a house for the family during the relationship, paying the mortgage and rates, the other partner has no rights in the house. Family law says differently. If the other partner has contributed to the welfare of the family by cooking, cleaning and caring for children, whilst the main income earner goes to work, then the other partner gains financial rights in the value of the house, and upon separating may be entitled to receive a cash settlement from the main income earner, or even become the sole owner of the house.

You may also have an interest in each others superannuation and any other assets accumulated during the relationship; that interest will depend on the length of the relationship and the financial and non-financial contributions you both made.

Again, many people also think that time with children must be shared equally by the parents, but there are many reasons in law that can cause a different outcome; the age of the children, the ability of the other parent to care for the children, and other issues such as alcohol, drug dependency and/or domestic violence issues.

The key is to find out your legal rights, and what you are entitled to upon separation, before trying to negotiate an agreement with your partner about either property or children.

Family law is complex and ever changing and the results in each case are different, depending on the facts of your own relationship and situation.

We have the knowledge, experience, and understanding that you need if you are to negotiate your way through your separation or divorce. We can explain your rights in easy to understand terms and give you the confidence you need to be able to negotiate with your partner on equal terms.

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