Family law insights and commentary from the offices of divorce and family law attorney Simon Dippenaar.
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Asset splitting on divorce includes pensions – or does it? There is probably no aspect of divorce more complex and contentious than the division of pension entitlement. Despite the introduction of “clean-break” legislation in 2007 by amendments to the Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956 (PFA), fair and equitable sharing of pension fund assets is […]
No couple believes on their wedding day that their newly minted union will end in divorce. The stark reality is however that just under half of marriages in South Africa do not last 10 years. And many of us have little to no understanding of how our various assets, (including your pension) will be split […]
Custody and access are now called child care and contact – but are still determined by the courts The Children’s Act 2005 changed the language we use when it comes to child care arrangements after a divorce or breakdown in the parental relationship. Because the Act aimed to place the interests of the child at […]
Online or DIY divorce may look cheap – but could cost you dearly in the long run Google “online divorce” or “DIY divorce” and you will be overwhelmed with results. It’s made out to be as easy as buying tickets to a show, and almost as cheap. It may be easy, but it’s not that […]
Maintenance evaders beware – the litigant with the best typewriter doesn’t always win. Last week a three-judge bench of the Johannesburg High Court pronounced on the level of disclosure required by those appearing in a maintenance court. Both parties must now make full financial disclosure: every detail, including trusts and offshore assets, as well an […]
Things to consider when considering divorce If your marriage has broken down irretrievably and you honestly believe you and your spouse would be better off going your separate ways, you have probably reached the stage of considering divorce. But perhaps you are just feeling unhappy, bored, dissatisfied or demotivated. Every relationship goes through difficult times […]
Sometimes parental alienation masks another personality disorder In other posts we have discussed parental alienation, what it is and how it impacts children during and after divorce. We’ve also covered some of the ways a trusting relationship can be re-established, even after damage has been done. The alienation from a parent does not have to […]
Five Limiting Thoughts Reframed Post Divorce Post divorce: the divorce is final. You have spent countless hours in and out of court and in lawyers’ offices. Most of your time and energy was directed toward the process. You finally have space to think, to reflect, and to feel. It is now that regrets sometimes surface. […]
