About Ekaterina Estrin

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So far Ekaterina Estrin has created 276 blog entries.

Capital gains tax and property settlement – dot your i’s and cross your t’s

18 August 2023

Separation and divorce are already a taxing time, but when it comes to property settlement, don’t forget to include just that – tax considerations. When negotiating a property settlement with your ex-partner, it is important to consider any potential Capital Gains Tax (CGT) concerns. CGT refers to the tax payable on the profit – [...]

Exciting Promotions

14 July 2023

Following our end-of-financial-year annual review process, we are delighted to announce a series of well-deserved promotions and would like to extend our sincere congratulations to the following individuals: Skye Griffin -Paralegal Rachelle Rigney - Paralegal Lotus Paterson - Paralegal Mel Nichols - Accounts/Support Staff Supervisor Cera Sinclair - Graduate Solicitor Amanda Johnstone - Senior [...]

Multiple Inheritances received during and after a Relationship

27 June 2023

In a previous article (Inheritance in property settlements - Michael Lynch Family Lawyers) we addressed the Court’s general view in relation to inheritances received during and after a marriage. In the recent case of Shnell & Frey (2021), the Court considered the impact of multiple inheritances received at different times during and after the [...]

What is the role of the Independent Children’s Lawyer?

13 June 2023

In some family court proceedings – but not all – an Independent Children’s Lawyer (ICL) is appointed to represent the best interests of any children involved. An ICL will only be appointed in parenting cases and is usually fully funded by Legal Aid. You can ask the court to appoint an ICL, in which [...]

What’s the definition of a de facto relationship?

9 June 2023

How long, for family law purposes, do a couple have to be together to be in a legally defined De Facto relationship? Section 4AA of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) provides the definition of a de facto relationship for family law purposes. Generally, the courts will consider a couple as being in a [...]

How are HECS/HELP debts treated in family law matters?

9 June 2023

It is becoming more common for separated parties to have a liability arising from the completion of their tertiary studies, referred to as HECS / HELP fee debts. A common question we are asked is, are HECS / HELP debts relevant to a family law property settlement? The short answer – yes, but its [...]

High conflict individuals: some cases always end up in court

9 June 2023

Queensland has introduced new domestic violence laws aimed at combating coercive control. The laws will help victims by looking at a pattern of behaviour, rather than individual incidents and the new laws also aim to limit a perpetrators ability to re-traumatise their victims during the court process. However, in some cases, no matter how [...]

Retrieving a child from overseas – exceptions to the rule

9 June 2023

Taking your child overseas without the permission of the other parent could result in serious legal problems for your family. Before you leave Australia with your children, make sure you get consent from any person or institution with responsibility for the children, or get a court order permitting their travel. If a child is [...]

Don’t rush doing a pre-nuptial agreement

16 May 2023

A “pre-nup” or pre-nuptial agreement, is the colloquial or American term for a financial agreement. Under Australian law, financial agreements are complex and technical, and if they’re not prepared according to strict legal requirements, they can easily be set aside. Which means the court will deal with the couple’s financial matters. The court can [...]

Kirstie Colls has been listed in the ‘Best Lawyers Report 2024’

21 April 2023

Kirstie Colls, the director and Head of Family Law at Michael Lynch Family Lawyers, has been listed in the 'Best Lawyers Report 2024', recognising her as one of Australia's prominent Family Lawyers. With over 20 years of experience as a solicitor specialising in Family Law, Kirstie has earned a reputation for excellence and trust [...]