Family Law

A recent case decided by the Family Court in Sydney is a timely reminder for separating couples to legally formalise their financial and property matters after separating. In the case, the wife had a $6 million win six months after separating from her husband. The parties had been married for 20 years and had not legally formalised a property settlement...

Sometimes I meet someone who happily tells me that they have "sorted" their property settlement, "just between us". No paperwork, no orders, no lawyers. Sounds good? A recent decision of the Full Court of the Family Court (Bevan and Bevan 2013) highlights again, the risk in relying upon informal settlements. The facts are interesting. The husband and wife had been...

Have a look around your workplace, at those people you depend upon each day to make a meaningful contribution to your business. How many of them are in relationships, married or de facto? Look a little more closely - how many of them are happy in those relationships? Don't know? Not your business? Perhaps you should - between 30 and...

"Going concern" status is always highly desirable to both buyer and seller in a sale of business - because buying or selling anything commercial with no GST sounds great! However it is easy to forget that GST in a sale between two registered entities is a tax neutral outcome, because the purchaser pays 10% GST and gets it back from...

Like sands through the hour glass, the eventual winding down of your business (or your role in your business) is inevitable. But even if your New Year's resolution is not to commence the move towards exiting your business, planning your escape should not be left until it is unavoidable due to age, health or circumstances. The best time to consider...