Broken Up? Don’t Miss the Claim Deadline

If you fail to file your relationship property claim before the deadline you will miss out.

Sorting out the division of your property can sometimes get put on hold after a relationship breaks down.

You may have good reasons for delaying dealing with the property such as:

• More pressing issues to work out such as negotiating the best care arrangements for children.
• Needing to deal with the feelings and frustrations after separation before facing the property issues.

But you need to be aware that there are time limits to applying to the Court to resolve relationship property issues.

If you need to apply to the Family Court to decide how your property should be divided the following time limits apply:

• An application must be made within 12 months of the date an order dissolving a marriage takes effect.
• An application must be made within 3 years of a de facto relationship ending.

After a relationship ends many people resolve the division of property by negotiation and then get their lawyers to draft an agreement for all to sign. You must make sure that an agreement is signed well before the above time limits run out.