Legal
Family law, property settlement, child support assessments, and what the Australian legal system actually does. Plain language, no jargon, always verify with a professional.
Legal
The first lawyer appointment: how to use it without burning $600 an hour
Quick answer
Before your first family lawyer appointment, prepare:
1. a one-page summary
2. a timeline of key dates
3. your children’s current care pattern
4.
06-Australia
The plain-English glossary of separation terms
At some point in the first few weeks, someone sends you a letter — a lawyer, a mediator, Services Australia — and it's full of words that almost
03-Rebuild
Dating after separation: what nobody says out loud
There's plenty of content about whether you're emotionally ready to date after separation. You'll find a lot of it. This isn'
01-Survive
Mediation vs lawyers: when to use which and what each actually costs
The first thing most people do when they separate is call a lawyer. Sometimes that's the right move. Often it's not — or at least,
01-Survive
How to tell the kids when you separate: what to say and what not to
There's no version of this conversation that feels right. You can prepare for it, think carefully about the words, choose the right moment — and it'
07-Money
Superannuation splitting after separation: what it is and whether you need to do it
Super is the most overlooked asset in most property settlements. People negotiate hard over the house, lose sleep over the bank accounts, and then treat super as an
01-Survive
Separation vs divorce in Australia: the difference, and how long you must be separated before you can divorce
In Australia you must be separated for at least 12 months before a court will grant you a divorce. You can apply once the 12 months are up,
Articles
What happens to the family home when you separate
This article won't tell you what to decide. It will tell you what your options actually are, what each one costs, what the legal mechanics look like, and what most people get wrong.
01-Survive
The 2025 family law changes: what separated parents actually need to know
Reviewed October 2026. This explains the law as it stood then. It isn't legal advice, and family law changes, so confirm how it applies to you
01-Survive
What child support actually costs you — and how the formula works
The letter from Services Australia arrives and the number is wrong. Not wrong in a clerical sense — wrong in a "that can't be right"