Watermans Bay 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.
There is no automatic fifty-fifty in Western Australia. A settlement is worked out in steps: identify and value the asset pool, weigh up what each of you contributed, then adjust for future needs. Where there is a second property, a caravan or a boat in the mix, it needs valuing properly rather than being waved through as a lifestyle item.
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.
Talk to us early. It usually means fewer costs and more options.
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. Self-employment and rostered work are common around Watermans Bay, and irregular income is the single most common reason an assessment does not reflect reality.
Common issues we deal with:
We help establish an assessment, change one that no longer fits, put a binding agreement in place, or recover payments that have stopped.
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!
Until the assets are formally divided, both of you remain exposed to the other’s debts and decisions. Around the northern coastal corridor there is often a boat, a caravan or a second property, and those are assets in law regardless of how they are thought of at home.
We can assist with:
Where assets sit in a company, a trust or someone else’s name, we work out what is genuinely in the asset pool and what is not.
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. Where income around the northern coastal corridor is seasonal or self-employed, a maintenance figure set off one good year rarely holds.
Maintenance is often better resolved as part of the overall settlement than run separately, and we will advise you on which approach suits.
Give us a call and we will set out how this works in your situation.
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.
Parenting arrangements have to work for years, and they have to be able to change as school, work and the children do. Around the northern coastal corridor catchments are spread out and one parent often moves closer to work, so the orders need to say what happens if someone relocates.
Where agreement is not possible, we advise on mediation and, if it comes to it, on applying to the Family Court of Western Australia.
Call us and we will tell you where you stand before you commit to anything.
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.
If you lived together on a genuine domestic basis for two years, or you have a child together, the law generally treats it as a de facto relationship. Around the northern coastal corridor a shared property, or one bought by a partner before the relationship started, is usually the sticking point regardless of whose name it sits in.
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.
Contact us and we will explain the realistic options for a matter like this.
Contact our experienced divorce lawyers for Watermans Bay.
You need twelve months of separation before you can apply, and you can be separated while still living under one roof if it comes to that. A joint application saves time and avoids service, and the whole thing can be done online without either of you attending.
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.
Call us and we will tell you where you stand before you commit to anything.
The Watermans Bay households we see often have one party who has worked away for years, and the arrangements built around that need rethinking.
Where income is irregular, a support figure set off one strong year rarely holds, so establishing a realistic average matters more here than almost anything else.
The northern coastal corridor is home ground for us, Yanchep, Alkimos, Beldon included.
Being that far out does not limit what we can do for you. Consultations, document review, instructions and signing arrangements are all handled by phone, video and secure electronic exchange, so a matter can be run from start to finish without the drive. Call us and we will talk through what suits you.
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 along the northern coast, a fair way from the city. 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.
No, and you should not wait. Property and parenting can be dealt with as soon as you separate. Once a divorce is final, there is a twelve-month limit to start property proceedings, which is a deadline people do miss.
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.