If you and your partner can reach an agreement to finalise property and financial matters (including negotiations directly or through lawyers), you can save time, money and stress by not going to Court.
There are various methods of alternative dispute resolution, which can be used to settle your matter without going to court, one of these methods is Mediation/Family Dispute resolution.
Formalising your agreement can be done through the preparation of either:
- Consent Orders or,
- A Financial Agreement.
WHAT ARE CONSENT ORDERS?
A Consent Order is a legal written agreement that is approved by a court, this can include parenting arrangements as well as financial arrangements such as property and maintenance/ financial support. Consent orders have the same legal effect as if they had been made by a judicial officer after a court hearing. Consent orders have the ability to formalise agreements without the necessarily of parties having to attend court, thus saving you time, stress, and money.
WHAT IS A FINANCIAL AGREEMENTS?
A Financial Agreement, also known as a Binding Financial Agreement, is a legal agreement that can be made during any stage of a relationship including after separation or divorce. A financial agreement allows parties to make a contract which finalises a financial settlement either after a relationship has broken down, or during a relationship planning for the unfortunate contingency should the relationship break down.
A financial agreement can help parties avoid going to Court to deal with the division of their property upon separation, saving time, money, and stress.
We recommend you contact an experienced family lawyers to make sure you get the right advice before signing any legal documentation as outlined above.