What comes next?
Once you’ve reached a DIY Agreement about your parenting, property and/or financial matters, you need to decide on your next step. The Family Court advise that you seek legal advice about which option is right for you.
Option 1: Enter into a good faith agreement
This method isn’t legally binding and doesn’t protect you from any future claim.
Option 2: File consent orders yourself with The Family Court
This makes your agreement legally binding. The Family Court may not accept orders with lodging errors or if an agreement puts one party at a disadvantage and you haven’t had legal advice.
Option 3: Pay a third party to draft your consent orders
This reduces the chance that your orders will have lodging errors but does not ensure your agreement is fairness checked.
Option 4: Engage independent lawyers
Lawyers will check your agreement for fairness and draft your consent orders.
At the Separation Guide, we recommend Option 4 to ensure your agreement is fair for both of you and that you’re both protected from future claims. It is especially important to receive a fairness check if you have a parenting plan or a complex asset pool as part of your agreement.
We can connect you both with independent lawyers in our Network. Their pricing is aligned with standard industry fees and they have signed our Ethical Charter with a focus on ethical standards, cost transparency and Court as a last resort.
You can be confident that they understand the work you’ve put in and will provide their independent opinion on fairness without the risk of untangling your agreement.
This stage usually ranges from $1500 to $3000 plus GST per person for simple orders.
