The steps involved in determining how property is divided after the breakdown of a relationship generally include: identifying the assets, liabilities and financial resources of the parties; assessing the parties’ financial and non-financial contributions; evaluating the parties’ respective future needs; determining a financial settlement that is, in all circumstances, just and equitable. This is the… Read More
When a relationship breaks down, it is common for disputes to arise over the ‘ownership’ of an inheritance received by one of the parties. The biggest question is whether an inheritance received by one party forms part of the pool of assets for distribution between both. This article provides guidance on when an inheritance might… Read More
The untimely death (or purported death) of Gerald Cotton, former Chief Executive Officer of Canadian cryptocurrency exchange company, Quadriga CX, emphasises the importance of planning your electronic after-life. Mr Cotton’s death in India at the age of 30, not only raised suspicion as to its authenticity (and allegations of an exit scam), but reiterated the… Read More
Most property settlements are reached through negotiation, without the need to attend Court. Negotiations can be formally documented through a binding financial agreement or consent orders. As a last resort, the parties may need to initiate Court proceedings whereby orders will be made regarding the division of the parties’ property. No matter how a property… Read More
There are various ‘Will Kits’ available on-line – most are cheap or ‘free’ and all you need to do is download them and fill in the blanks. Many websites boast that you can prepare your Will ‘without spending hundreds of dollars on legal fees’. Simple, right? Not really. Generating an on-line Will may seem easy,… Read More