Are you preparing for separation? This checklist and tips will help to organise and prepare yourself.
| Obtain legal advice about steps to take and how to protect your interests | |
| Update passwords including iCloud, google drive, email, phone, your bank accounts, the children’s bank accounts. If these are shared accounts, you may want to open a new account and download or duplicate the information. | |
| Do not share correspondence from your solicitor with your ex as you risk waiving your client privilege | |
| If you have joint funds you may need to consider freezing access to the account (i.e. needing joint authority to release) or transferring funds into a separate account to ensure that you have sufficient funds to meet your day to day expenses, ongoing legal fees. You should seek legal and/or financial advice before transferring monies to a separate account. | |
| Put all your important documents in a safe place (i.e. photos, birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate, certificates of qualifications) | |
| Contact Centrelink if you need income support or to find out whether you have any entitlements | |
| Contact Child Support if you have children under 18 years | |
| Check if services are in your ex-partner’s name that the services have not been cancelled without your knowledge and/or transfer relevant services into your name including: Telephone provider vehicle registration Insurance private health internet electricity providers | |
| If you have decided to leave the home, ensure that you take your important documents and personal effects as sometimes it can be difficult to access these items at a later date | |
| Do not post comments or references on social media about your ex-partner. It can and will be used as evidence against you. | |
| Be mindful and respectful when communicating with your ex-partner as it can be used as used as evidence against, also it is not going to be of assistance with reaching a resolution in your matter | |
| If you think that you might need to sell property foreign resident capital gains withholding clearance certificate for properties over $700,000 https://www.ato.gov.au/Forms/Capital-gains-withholding-clearance-certificate-application…for-Australian-residents/ | |
| Separation can be difficult, even for the person ending the relationship. You should look after your mental health as well. If you think seeing a counsellor or psychologist may assist you, you should make an appointment with one. | |
| Your children are not to blame for your relationship breakdown. How you communicate your separation to your children is important. In an ideal world parents, particularly those with young or teenage children should tell the children in a child focused way together. We realise this is not safe or practical. |
