The current COVID-19 global health pandemic has had a dramatic
and unprecedented effect on families across Australia. From a
family law perspective, it has wreaked havoc on the court system
and pushed the Family and Federal Circuit Courts into a new digital
era. But what has it done for the litigants in the midst of
property settlement negotiations?
The significant drop of the share market in response to COVID-19
has affected the value of businesses, real estate and
superannuation funds, creating a fear of the unknown for those
attempting to resolve their disputes and finalise matters in the
current environment. A good starting point is to discuss with your
solicitor obtaining updated valuations for any family business,
shareholdings and superannuation before negotiating and locking
yourself into a settlement. With respect to superannuation in
particular and given the fluidity of the stock market at the
present time, it might be more appropriate to negotiate a
