Australia's Family Law recognizes that couples who live
together in a close relationship for two years, or for a shorter
period if they have a child together, can be regarded as being in a
de facto relationship. The law regarding property settlement for de
factos is the same as for married couples and, like property
settlements for married couples, several factors are taken into
consideration when determining a settlement. The law also applies
to same-sex couples.
It's an important issue to
consider when more than one-fifth of Australians aged in their 20s
live with de facto partners and ten per cent of
middle aged folk are now in de facto relationships. Nobody likes
talking division of the spoils while they are still together, but
it can save a lot of heartache and expense if they break up.
