De facto and same sex relationships
If you are in a de facto relationship and you separated after 1 March 2009, your matter is likely to be governed by the Family Law Act which also governs matrimonial matters.
There is now very little difference between separating spouses who are married and de facto partners who were in a de facto relationship as a result of the changes to the Family Law Act which took effect on 1 March 2009.
If you are separating from your de facto partner, you should contact us to discuss formalising property settlement. You may also want to discuss with us your options regarding maintenance which is similar to spousal maintenance, which now applies to de facto and same sex couples, in addition to married couples.
There are also important time limitations which apply to de facto relationships which you should be aware to ensure your rights aren't compromised if you have already separated.\
Useful Factsheets:
The four steps of a property settlement
Same sex couples - parentage and babies born through artificial conception