Separating couples are generally required to make reasonable attempts to resolve disputes about the future living arrangements, care and responsibility of their children. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, dispute resolution is compulsory if agreement cannot be reached.
When it comes to planning your estate, it is important to consider the types of Wills available to assist in meeting your testamentary wishes. Wills can be very simple or accommodate a range of possibilities. The following is an outline of the most common types of Wills. It is not a substitute for sound legal advice as everybody’s situation is different and good estate planning requires consideration of a person’s unique personal and financial circumstances.
Family law principles recognise that both parents of a child should be financially responsible for his or her care, regardless of the parents’ marital status, past or present relationships or involvement in the child’s life.
No doubt you know someone who faced a huge legal bill from their family lawyer. If you know someone whose marriage or relationship is breaking up, they don’t have to spend a fortune on lawyers. There are steps they can take to keep legal costs to a minimum while still getting sound advice and ending up with a binding property settlement.
Making a Will is important, particularly if you are part of a blended family. A blended family is a family in which one or both partners have a child or children from a previous relationship.
Klimek & Wijay are pleased to announce that we have been recognised in the top 10 family law firms in Western Australia in the 2017 Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Profession.
It is now more than 10 years since the Family Law Act was changed to allow Australians to enter into pre-nuptial agreements (known as Financial Agreements or Binding Financial Agreements).
The Tax Institute of Australia is the peak national body for tax professionals in Australia. Our Managing Director, Rishi Wijay, was recently invited to speak at the Institute’s Family Law Intensive.
Housing affordability is a big issue for young Australians. When discussing that issue recently, the Prime Minister infamously remarked that the solution is for parents to “shell out” to help their children buy a home. For those lucky enough to have parents able to assist them financially in adulthood, whether by helping them into the property market or otherwise, could that “solution” be creating more problems than it solves?
About half of all Australians don’t have a valid Will. Of those who do, many put their Will away in the bottom drawer of their filing cabinet and never think of it again.