EPAs and PPPR Orders
Simpson Western acknowledges the stress families go through when a loved one loses capacity and is no longer able to manage their own personal and property affairs.
Care of children during Level 3
Now that Auckland has moved to level 3, how do care arrangements for children in separate households play out?
We're buying a house together
We have seen an exponential uptake of investment in property, among young couples in particular... quite often, many couples’ initial cash contributions to fund the deposit are different... but if you and your partner or spouse break up, this difference could become a major sticking point.
What's mine is yours?
The Law Commission's final recommendations for changes to the Property (Relationships) Act 1976.
Property (Relationships) Act 1976 changes
The law governing the division of property when a relationship ends is, after more than 40 years, set to change following the Law Commission’s comprehensive review...
Accessing the assets of a trust
What the future may hold for separating couples with a trust
Dividing relationship property
We look at the Law Commission's recent recommendations for changing how property is divided at the end of a relationship.
When is a trust not a trust?
A recent decision of the High Court of England and Wales has wide reaching implications for New Zealand trust law and the Property (Relationships) Act 1976.
Pets and separation
Who gets to keep the pooch? When a relationship ends it's often difficult for couples to decide who should keep the family pet.
Economic disparity at the end of a relationship
A large number of relationships still follow the ‘traditional’ practice of having one party act as the ‘homemaker’, while the other acts as the ‘breadwinner’- so what happens if the relationship breaks up?
Option A or Option B?
When your spouse or partner dies you will need to make a very important decision between your entitlements under their will and potential claims against their estate...
Relationship property: the Clayton case
The implications of the Clayton case a year on - has it really exposed trusts in relationship property situations? >
Trusts under attack
Trusts can sometimes be used to protect assets from future claims by a former spouse or de facto partner. Trustees need to be cautious... >