Guildford parents: If you have already separated or are thinking about separating, And you have children, property or business interests then getting the right family law advice is a must. The cost of not doing so is immense. Both emotionally and financially. You need experienced, compassionate and affordable legal representation. Our team of local Perth Family Lawyers has the experience and knowledge to guide you through every step to receive the best possible outcome.
Let us do the heavy lifting as dealing with family law issues is emotionally challenging. We provide the support and guidance you’ll need so you can be enjoying a new future with confidence and clarity.
When going through a divorce or separation you’ll want expert advice and representation to ensure a fair division of property assets.
A property settlement ends the financial relationship. Until it is done properly, your former partner still has a claim on what you own. When the house is that large a share of the asset pool, keeping it generally means a substantial super split, a refinance, or a sale — not a straight fifty-fifty.
Typically that involves:
We identify and value the whole asset pool, including superannuation, work out a split that reflects contributions and future needs, then document it through consent orders so it is binding and final.
Call us and we will tell you where you stand before you commit to anything.
If you are divorced, separated and have children under the age of 18, speak to our Perth child support lawyers who know the WA Family Law.
Most child support arguments are not really about the amount. They are about income that has not been properly disclosed, or a care arrangement that no longer matches what is actually happening. Private school fees, extracurriculars and health cover are common in Guildford and they are not covered by the standard assessment, so they need dealing with separately.
We assist with:
We can also deal with the costs that sit outside the formula — school fees, medical expenses and extracurriculars — through a written agreement.
Talk to us early. It usually means fewer costs and more options.
Asset division for separated couples can be contentious and having a clear and thorough process will make the process easier for both parties. We can help!
Financial separation is the step that stops your finances staying tangled with your former partner’s indefinitely. In the north-east and Swan Valley district it is common for assets to be held through a company or a family trust, which changes both what is in the asset pool and how it can be moved.
We can assist with:
We locate and value everything, deal with the debts as well as the assets, and then formalise the division so neither of you is exposed to the other afterwards.
If this is where you are at, call us and we will talk it through.
If you are considering separating from your spouse, or have already done so, you may be entitled to, or liable for spousal maintenance.
Spousal maintenance cuts both ways. You might not be getting enough, or you might be paying more than you should be. In the north-east and Swan Valley district the standard of living during the relationship is usually high, and maintenance is assessed against reasonable needs rather than against that standard.
If you are already paying, we will tell you whether the amount is defensible and what it would take to change it.
Talk to us early. It usually means fewer costs and more options.
Orders can be put in place or existing orders can be updated to make sure that parental responsibility of a child or children is protected.
Parental responsibility is about the long-term decisions — schooling, medical care, where the children live and who they spend time with. In the north-east and Swan Valley district school choice is often the flashpoint, and who decides it is exactly what parental responsibility covers.
We help negotiate a parenting arrangement, then formalise it as a parenting plan or consent orders so everyone knows where they stand.
Give us a call and we will set out how this works in your situation.
If you have been in a De-facto relationship and you are now separated then talk to our team today about sorting out your parenting plans and financial asset division.
De facto couples have broadly the same property and maintenance rights as married couples, and the same obligations. In the north-east and Swan Valley district the assets brought into the relationship are often significant, and how they are treated depends on the length of the relationship and what happened during it.
The two-year limitation period from separation is the thing to watch. We will tell you where you sit on it at the first appointment.
Talk to us early. It usually means fewer costs and more options.
Contact our experienced divorce lawyers for Guildford.
Getting divorced does not divide anything. The financial side has to be dealt with separately, and there is a twelve-month deadline after the divorce to start it. Where there are companies, trusts or overseas assets involved, get the financial side moving well before the divorce is finalised.
Where you have been married under two years, or your former spouse cannot be located, there are extra steps and we will walk you through them.
If this is where you are at, call us and we will talk it through.
People in Guildford households often have a clear division of roles behind them — one building a career or a practice, one carrying the family.
Where one party built the earning capacity and the other carried the household, future needs do real work in the settlement, and so does full disclosure of what actually exists.
We act right across the north-east and Swan Valley district, Hazelmere, Henley Brook, Herne Hill included, so this is familiar ground for us.
Come in if it suits, or do it by phone and video if that is easier.
If you are needing to get a property fixed up to be sold after a slit Electricians Near you will get your wires and lights up to code.
Legal guidance for property settlements and conveyancing, property disputes across Perth.
In the same way an electrician can help you get your house ready for sale a plumber can do the same, checking for leaks, drips or other issues in the home.
If you are moving house after a family dispute case has been finalised talk to a settlement agent today to discuss your options.
No — there is no automatic equal split in Western Australia, and that’s the most common misconception we correct. A settlement is worked out in steps: identify and value the whole pool, assess what each party contributed financially and non-financially, then adjust for future needs such as care of children, health, age and earning capacity. That process sometimes lands near half, and often doesn’t. A long marriage where one party raised children and the other built a career rarely produces an even division, and neither does a short relationship where one party brought in most of the assets.
Yes. ABMS Lawyers acts across the Perth metropolitan area from our office in South Perth – it is north-east of our South Perth office. Consultations can be in person, by video or by phone, documents are exchanged electronically, and signing can be arranged to suit you. Call us and we will work out the best way to handle it.
Superannuation is treated as property and forms part of the pool, which surprises a lot of people. It can be split between the parties by consent orders or by court order, and for many separating couples it’s the second-largest asset after the family home — sometimes the largest. It’s also the asset most often overlooked in an informal agreement, and the hardest to fix afterwards. Splitting it requires orders drafted so the fund can actually act on them, so it’s worth getting the wording right the first time.
It is treated as property and forms part of the asset pool, which surprises a lot of people. It can be split by consent orders or court order, and for many couples it is the second-largest asset after the house. It is also the one most often missed in an informal agreement.
Not automatically. Neither party has to leave simply because the relationship has ended, and moving out doesn’t forfeit your interest in the property — that’s another common worry with no basis. Who stays is usually a practical question about who can meet the mortgage, where the children are settled and whether both parties can reasonably remain under one roof in the meantime. Where they can’t, interim arrangements can be agreed or ordered covering who lives where and who meets the outgoings until a settlement is reached. If safety is a concern, that changes the picture and should be raised straight away.
