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News
How to separate your property and finances following separation
June 12th, 2019
One of the first questions that we are often asked by clients going through a separation is, how do we separate our property and finances and protect ourselves?
It is important for separating couples to understand that there are only two ways in which you can finalise your financial relationship, so that it is binding and recognised by the courts, namely:
1. by court order; or
2. by entering into a binding financial agreement.
Separating couples are able to obtain a court order to record any agreement they reach by consent, by submitting an application for consent orders. This is a relatively inexpensive way to formally end your financial relationship. Consent orders will only be made if the judge considers that they are just to both parties. A court order may also be made during court proceedings, if one party commences proceedings because the parties are unable to reach an agreement. The majority of our matters are resolved through negotiation or mediation and then finalised through the consent order process.
The other option is a binding financial agreement, which must be drafted and executed in accordance with the family law legislation and regulations.
If you do not formalise your property settlement using one of the methods mentioned above, then the Family Courts will not recognise your agreement and it will not be binding. This is true even if the agreement has been recorded in a deed or statutory declaration or other alternative legal form. For this reason it is important that you have an experienced family lawyer assist you in formalising your property settlement agreement. There are other benefits for couples in finalising their property matters, including receiving an exemption on paying transfer duty on the transfer of any property between spouses.
If you are going through a separation and require assistance in separating your finances and property, contact our expert Cairns and Mareeba family lawyers today on 07 4036 9700 or 07 4092 3555 to book in for an initial consultation where we will discuss how to finalise your property matters and the four step approach used by courts when determining the overall division of your assets and liabilities.
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