Spousal and de-facto maintenance is financial support paid by one partner to the other partner where the other partner cannot support themselves financially.

Separation can be a stressful and uncertain time and everyone around you has words of advice of what you should do and shouldn’t do, and it can be overwhelming. So to help you be prepared for the separation we have put together the following list of the 5 key considerations prior to separation. By addressing and planning for each of these points you will be well placed to then proceed with the legal separation.

The Federal government has now made an amendment to the Family Law Act 1975 (and corresponding amendments to the Taxation Administration Act 1953) so that from 1 April 2022, a request can be made for details of all the superannuation interests of a former partner.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has approved the Pfizer vaccine as being safe for use in children aged 5 to 11 years. From 10 January 2022 children aged 5 to 11 years can now receive a vaccination against COVID19.

Whether or not a child should receive a vaccination is a parental responsibility decision. Generally speaking, both parents have and share parental responsibility for their children.

In October this year the Federal Government created a payment called the Escaping Violence Payment for women experiencing domestic violence who will encounter financial difficulty when they leave a violent relationship.