Entries by Roger MacIntosh

The Divorce Process

Should you determine that your relationship is over and that you wish to get divorced, you will need to follow the process outlined below in order to officially terminate your marriage.  If you are unsure about the nature of your relationship, take a look at our previous blog posts regarding Common law vs. Marriage and Separation […]

Separation and the Matrimonial Home

On separation, parties often have to make hard decisions regarding how they will split assets, who will pay support, and how they will move on from the relationship.  At this time, one of the most contentious and difficult items to deal with is the Matrimonial Home.  Who gets to keep it? Will the kids remain […]

Net Family Property and Equalization: An Introduction

Equalization is a payment from one spouse to the other at the end of a marriage.  This equalization payment ONLY applies to married spouses, not to common law spouses.  S. 5(1) of the Family Law Act (“FLA“) provides for Equalization when: A divorce is granted; Marriage is declared a nullity; When (married) spouses are separated and there is […]

Child Custody and Access Introduction

One of the most significant concerns for parents, if not THE most significant concern, on separation is what will happen with the children.  Where will the child live? Who is going to make decisions for the child regarding their education, religion, or medical care? How much time will each partner spend with the children? These […]

Child Support

One of the major issues at separation is how much child or spousal support will be paid from one spouse to the other.  This can often become very contentious between separating spouses as it can greatly impact both of their finances. The Family Law Act (“FLA”) recognizes that each parent has an obligation to provide […]

Separation and Divorce

Clients often contact our office inquiring whether we can assist with their divorce. In these cases, one of the first questions I always ask is how long they have been separated for.  If they tell me they’ve only been separated for a few months I inform them that they can’t get divorced unless one of […]

Common Law vs. Marriage

Common Law and Marriage are often confused when it comes to the division of property and other rights and obligations upon separation. In order to know what you’re entitled to, it’s important to understand the distinction between these two terms so you can create the best plan for your future. What may be confusing to […]

The Process of Getting a Separation Agreement Done

What follows below will be a general overview of the process for completing a separation agreement.  It begins by contacting our office and concludes with the completed separation agreement that is provided to the client. Please note that this is not a precise account of how the process works, but merely a general guideline.  Each […]