The two most common misconceptions we hear from clients on this topic are either: That family law is the same whether you are married or common law partners; or That there are no rights or obligations that arise from being common law unless you decide to get married. As a result of these misconceptions, many [...]
Many believe that spousal support only applies to married couples. In fact, common law spouses may be required to pay spousal support as well. When are common law partners considered “spouses”? Section 29 of the Family Law Act provides an expanded definition of “spouse” with respect to support obligations which includes either of two persons [...]
On September 24, 2020, Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor introduced Bill 207, otherwise known as the Moving Ontario Family Law Forward Act. When the federal government announced Bill C-78 in 2019 to make changes to the Divorce Act which are to come into effect on March 1, 2021, many believed it was only a matter of time [...]
There is often the expectation that in family law, “everything is going to be divided equally”. While it is true that the Family Law Act provides for the equalization of family property for married spouses, equalization does not necessarily mean that you will divide everything that exists on the date of separation equally. What are my property [...]
Our clients often ask us about the process to become “legally separated”. They are surprised to hear that there is no such thing as “legally separated”; you are simply “separated”. We find that when clients inquire about becoming “legally separated”, they are in fact seeking a separation agreement. For those who are married and separated, [...]
You are likely familiar with or even used the old Home Buyer’s Plan, a federal program that allows home buyers to put funds in their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) toward the purchase of a home without any tax implications. Of course, you are still required to repay the funds to the RRSP within a [...]
When families transition into two households after a separation, co-parenting can be a challenge. There are several online tools designed to help families work through some of the most common co-parenting challenges, such as: coordinating schedules; communication between parents; record-keeping; resolving disagreements; managing expenses; tracking parenting time; and tracking support payments Here are some options [...]
When couples decide to separate, there are many things that may need to be sorted out and it can become overwhelming at times. We are mediators and we are here to help. Click here to book a free Zoom call with one of our experienced family law lawyer-mediators to learn more about us and the process of mediation. [...]
Sometimes couples continue to live together temporarily in the family home after they have decided to separate. As you can imagine, there are benefits and challenges to living together while separating. On the one hand, living together while separating can be less expensive than maintaining two homes. It also delays the need to make major [...]
Our clients often tell us they are looking for a process that will reduce the time and cost to negotiate their separation. Mediation is intended to provide a dispute resolution process that can cost couples less in time and money than traditional litigation-based processes. Click here to book a free Zoom call with one of [...]
