麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Divorcing couples living together longer amid 'frenzied' housing market, COVID-19: lawyer

Share

Some Canadian couples who have deciding to get a divorce are living together longer amid a 鈥渇renzied鈥 housing market and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

That鈥檚 according to Alyssa Bach, a family lawyer with Shulman & Partners LLP in Toronto.

Bach told CTV鈥檚 Your Morning on Wednesday that while itis not 鈥渦nusual to stay together for a couple of months while you sort out your finances and find a new place,鈥 separating couples are now living together for 鈥渆xtended periods.鈥

Bach said this is becoming more because of the housing market and Omicron wave of the pandemic.

鈥淎nd it鈥檚 adding to these family law complications,鈥 she said.

Bach said one of the biggest issues is the date of separation. Bach explained that this is 鈥渁 really important date鈥 for married couples who are separating as it is when they start looking at their entitlements and assets.

When couples have a large asset, such as a house, and it is only in the name of one of the spouses, she says their entitlement to that property and the value of that property is 鈥渧ery determinative鈥 by the date of separation.

鈥淪o when you鈥檙e continuing to live together, if there鈥檚 this dispute about when you separate, normally that wouldn鈥檛 be such a big deal, but with the housing market -- increasing prices in such short periods of time -- you see that dispute over that increased value,鈥 Bach said.

CREATING A PLAN

Bach offered some advice to those who may find themselves in the difficult situation of living in the same home as their spouse while seeking a divorce.

She said one of the 鈥渕ain things鈥 to do, is work on a separation agreement.

鈥淥r at least solidify that date of separation,鈥 she said. 鈥淢ake sure that is communicated to your partner as soon as possible so that you two are on the same page.鈥

Bach said it is also important to maintain privacy, as well as respect the privacy of your spouse.

鈥淓specially when it鈥檚 coming to conversations with your lawyers [and] legal documents,鈥 she said. 鈥淛ust ensuring that level of confidentiality.鈥

Bach said separating couples should also create a plan with the ultimate goal of living in separate homes.

Bach said couples seeking to divorce must understand not only what their rights are, but also what obligations they may have. She noted that there are obligations when it comes to splitting up assets, but also support obligations and child care responsibilities.

鈥淭here are so many factors that come into play when couples separate,鈥 she explained. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just a take, there鈥檚 also a give-- that鈥檚 there as well.鈥

She said a separation agreement ensures that everybody is 鈥渙n the same page鈥 and can also help to 鈥渞educe tensions.鈥

According to Statistics Canada, approximately 2.71 million people were listed as legally divorced in 2020, regardless of the year in which the divorce occurred.

Correction

This article has been updated to correct information about the number of divorced people in Canada.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Pasquale Monaco says he鈥檚 debating whether to keep renting out the two-bedroom basement apartment of the Montreal building he owns after it was flooded 鈥 again 鈥 in August, when the remnants of tropical storm Debby sent four feet of water rushing into the space.

Childhood sleep issues may raise suicide risk, study finds

If your child sometimes has trouble sleeping, it may be easy to chalk it up to a phase they will grow out of one day. But a new study suggests possible serious consequences for this line of thought 鈥 such as a higher risk for suicidal ideation or attempts when they are older.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.