We will help you claim your rightful entitlement to financial support from your high-earning ex after separation.
Our experienced Family Lawyers can help you access funds immediately after separation so you get the financial support you need, by an application for:
The things you do at the very beginning of your Family Law property matter can have a profound impact on the way your matter runs. You need to know early on what your rights and obligations are under the Family Law Act so that you can put yourself in the best position to achieve a favourable outcome.
Your ability to access funds for legal fees and self support is critical to the success of your Family Law matter.
If you are concerned about how you will make ends meet following separation, it is crucial that you seek early advice in relation to whether or not you are likely to be successful in a Spousal Maintenance Application, Partial Property Division and Litigation Funding Order.
If we are of the view that you are entitled to Spousal Maintenance, we can quickly file your Application with the Court.
If you are concerned about how you are going to fund your Family Law litigation we can help you make an Application for a Litigation Funding Order.
Spousal Maintenance is a payment (lump sum or periodic) paid by the financially-stronger spouse to the financially-weaker spouse after separation and usually up until the Property Division (however, in special cases it can continue indefinitely).
A financially-stronger spouse is obligated to pay for the needs of the financially-weaker spouse as much as they can afford to do. The needs of the financially-weaker spouse might include weekly payments for living expenses and a lump sum for the payment of a rental bond.
Spousal Maintenance is not meant to cover the costs of the care of the children. The costs of care of the children are meant to be covered by Child Support payments (see our Child Support page), Spousal Maintenance is only meant for the costs of the person receiving it.
We can assist you to claim urgent Spousal Maintenance immediately after separation, with a further and more extensive Application to be made to the Court for its consideration in due course.
After separation, and before Property Division (which may occur many months after separation), financial stress can arise because your wealth is tied up in the assets that are awaiting division between you and your ex. We can help you to access these funds through a partial Property Division. This is usually by agreement with the other party where they receive the same amount as you, and the amount that each person has received is included as part of their ultimate entitlement to the property pool.
For example, if your house is sold and the proceeds of sale can’t yet be divided between you because you can’t agree on how much each person is entitled to, each of you can agree to take $20,000 of the sale proceeds with this amount factored in as money already received when the remaining sale proceeds are ultimately divided between you.
A Litigation Funding Order is a type of Order that can be made to level the playing field in relation to the parties’ financial ability to fund legal costs of Family Law Court proceedings.
To correct the imbalance, the financially-weaker party is entitled to claim a lump sum from the financially-stronger spouse to go towards their legal fees. This payment can be $10,000 or $500,000, depending on the size of the property pool and the likely legal fees.
We can help you to make this claim and to get access to funds that you’re entitled to so that you can properly argue your case.
Where you need money for legal fees, it may be quicker and more cost-effective to make an Application for a legal fee loan. This is a loan for your Family Law legal fees so that you have money to properly pursue your case. The loan can also be used for living expenses and the purchase of assets, such as a car.
The financier usually does not require any repayment until your Property Division is finalised and they take repayment of the loan from your share of the property pool, such as from the proceeds of the sale of property.
It is quite easy to qualify for a litigation funding loan. Usually, the financier requires a clear understanding of the property pool and they will ask us to complete an outline of what we think, as your Family Lawyers, you are entitled to. On this basis, the financier will usually lend up to 1/4 to 1/3 of your overall entitlement to the property pool.
There are important time limits to bear in mind when considering an Application for a Family Law Property Division and/or Spousal Maintenance. These are:
There are limited exceptions to the time limits, so it is best speak to your Family Lawyer if you think you have run out of time.
3 real Family Law case studies detailing the circumstances, recommended steps to take and outcomes for those going through a Spousal Maintenance matter.
3 real Family Law case studies detailing the circumstances, recommended steps to take and outcomes for those going through a Property Settlement / Property Division matter.
3 real Family Law case studies detailing the circumstances, recommended steps to take and outcomes for those dealing with Separation and Divorce.
Answering all your Family Law questions about Separation Planning, Divorce, Parenting Arrangements, Property Division, Child Support, Spousal Maintenance.
To make sure you make a Smart Start, we have developed our Smart Start Appointment – the clearest, fastest and smartest start to your separation journey.
How You Can Get Your Independence Sooner.
As Family Lawyers, it’s not uncommon for us to meet with clients who earn a lot less than their former partner. Often one party has sacrificed their career in order to raise a family and as a result their capacity to earn a higher income has been limited.
The exchange of documents ensures that each party is aware of the financial circumstances of the relationship and is able to reach an agreement after making an informed decision.
“Our relationship has ended but my ex-partner won’t move out of the house that we own (or rent).”
Parties can have a partial property settlement by agreement. This may be appropriate in circumstances where parties are in need of funds and are still in the process of negotiating a settlement or parties have applied to the Court and a final hearing is not for a considerable amount of time.
If one of the parties is not willing to agree to a partial property settlement, the other party can apply to the Court for an interim Order. For example, if you need access to funds in a bank account for living, housing or legal costs. However, the Court will not make an Order for a partial property settlement unless it is satisfied that it is appropriate in the circumstances.
Yes. If your de facto relationship can be classified as a de facto relationship under the Family Law Act, and you meet the requirements for Spousal Maintenance under the Act, you may be entitled to Spousal Maintenance.
Yes, generally your entitlement will be reduced as your ex-partner will make an Application to the Court to reduce how much Spousal Maintenance they must pay to you on the basis of your increased income.
No, Spousal Maintenance is not considered taxable income.
Yes, you must inform Centrelink of any entitlement to Spousal Maintenance. Spousal Maintenance is not included by Centrelink in assessing income support, however, it is included in the assessment of family payments.
Unless you and your ex-partner can agree, you will need to make an Application to the Court for a Spousal Maintenance Order. This can be a costly Application to pursue so must be considered carefully.
You may be entitled to Spousal Maintenance if you can prove that you do not have the capacity to earn enough income to support yourself properly. However, choosing not to work or to exercise a capacity to earn sufficient income will not entitle you to Spousal Maintenance.
Further, you will be unlikely to get an Order for Spousal Maintenance if you have sufficient resources (other than income) to support yourself, such as access to a savings account or other assets.
The first step in establishing whether or not you may be entitled to Spousal Maintenance payments is to overcome the ‘threshold test’ which asks 2 questions:
If it is determined that you are not able to ‘adequately’ support yourself and that the other party is ‘reasonably’ able to pay you, then the Court will give consideration to the extent to which your ex-partner should reasonably be expected to support you, i.e. how much should they pay you? This will ultimately involve an examination of your living expenses and those of your ex-partners.
In determining the amount of Spousal Maintenance to be paid, the Court will give consideration to a standard of living that is reasonable in all the circumstances. However, “reasonable” does not necessarily mean the standard of living enjoyed prior to the breakdown of the relationship.
If the Court determines that your ex-partner should pay you Spousal Maintenance, it will then give consideration to how much your ex-partner should reasonably have to pay you. This ultimately involves an examination of his/her income and expenses.
Immediately after separation. Spousal Maintenance may be paid:
