In the thick of it.
One step at a time.

There's a right order. Done well, this is administrative. Done poorly, it becomes a flashpoint. Take advice before you act.

• Agree (in writing if you can) that no large transactions happen without consent
• Document the balance of every joint account on the day of separation
• Redirect your salary into your own account once advised
• Cancel additional cardholder access on joint credit cards
• Keep paying agreed shared bills, don't unilaterally stop direct debits

Most households have 40-60 recurring bills. You don't need to handle them all this week, just the ones that protect your home and credit.

• Mortgage or rent, first priority, no missed payments
• Power, gas, water, keep all on, even if you negotiate who pays
• Home and contents insurance, check it's current and you're a named insured
• Car insurance and registration, confirm renewal dates
• Phone and internet, make sure the family plan owner is clear
• School fees, childcare, healthcare, children's continuity first

In Australia, separating couples divide their asset pool through a four-step process. It is rarely a simple 50/50.

• Step 1, Identify the asset pool (everything, jointly and individually)
• Step 2, Value contributions (financial, non-financial, homemaker, parenting)
• Step 3, Adjust for future needs (income, care of children, health, age)
• Step 4, Test that the outcome is just and equitable
• FLP will walk you through where you sit on each step before you negotiate

Super is property under family law. It can be split between you, and for the partner who stepped back from paid work, this is often the single most important number in the settlement.

• Request a Superannuation Information Form for both funds
• Understand the difference between accumulation and defined benefit funds
• Ask about the splitting order and how it will be implemented
• Decide whether to receive the split into your existing fund or a new one
• Coastal Advice will model what each option looks like at retirement

Two different things. Spousal maintenance supports a former partner. Child support is for the children. You may be eligible for one, both, or neither.

• Spousal maintenance: only payable where one party cannot reasonably support themselves
• It can be interim (short-term) or final, and can be paid as a lump sum
• Child support is calculated by Services Australia using a formula
• Private agreements are possible and sometimes better for both parties
• FLP will tell you what's realistic for your situation

Settlements can take months. Your weekly life cannot. A simple budget, without your spouse's income, is the most empowering document you'll build.

• List every essential weekly and monthly expense (rent, food, kids, fuel)
• List your current and likely income (work, Centrelink, spousal maintenance)
• Identify the shortfall, this becomes the number that drives negotiation
• Build a 3-month buffer if at all possible
• Coastal Advice provides a free cash-flow template, ask us for it