How to Keep Your Money in Separation and Divorce

Separation and divorce can be very expensive – often more expensive than necessary.  When separating spouses or parents are not careful, or make big family law mistakes, they give away or spend more money than they have to – leaving less money for themselves, their children and possibly their new families. 

In this episode of the Ontario Family Law Podcast, Certified Specialist in Family Law, John Schuman, gives many valuable family law tips to separating spouses and parents about how they can keep more of their money. Drawing from more than twenty years of experience as a family lawyer, trial lawyer, mediator, arbitrator and collaborative lawyer, John Schuman explains how preserve wealth through:

• using a marriage contact or cohabitation agreement to provide financial predictability and sensibility in separation
• avoiding bad Family Court decisions
• resolving matters using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) such as negotiation, mediation, arbitration and collaborative practice
• avoiding the financial horrors that can be associated with matrimonial homes
• saving on lawyer’s fees and using unbundled services 
• calculating child support and spousal support appropriately
• considering measures to reduce income for support purposes
• taking steps to have your ex pay your lawyer’s fees