Retroactive Spousal Support Payments and Income Tax Benefits
When the court orders that one spouse must pay the other spousal support, the order is usually forward-looking. The paying spouse is required to pay a certain amount of support for an express period of time. However, occasionally the paying spouse is ordered to pay a...
Proposed Updates to the Divorce Act: How They Might Affect You
The federal government has recently proposed changes to a fundamental piece of Canadian legislation: the Divorce Act [1]. The Divorce Act has not been significantly amended in twenty years, and the new changes aim to make this difficult period in the lives of a couple...
What Does the Court Mean When it Awards Costs?
What is a Cost Award? When a court action reaches its end, the judge will generally make a statement about costs, their amount, and which party has to pay them. Basically, a costs award is given to the party that won the lawsuit to help them recoup some of the money...