Separation & Divorce Finance in Dubbo & Central West NSW

Where the mortgage fits

Whatever you and your former partner agree between you, the lender still has a loan in both names. That doesn't change because your circumstances have. Until the loan is refinanced or paid out, you're both still responsible for it — and both still affected if a repayment is missed.

Sorting that out usually comes down to one of three paths.

Your three options

1. One of you keeps the house — the loan is refinanced into a single name, which means qualifying for it on one income. There may also be a payment to the other party to balance the settlement, which can often be included in the new loan.

2. Sell and split — the loan is paid out at settlement and you each start again. Simplest financially, and for many people the cleanest emotionally.

3. Neither, for now — some couples hold the loan jointly for a period while things settle, particularly where children are involved. It can work, but it carries risks worth understanding before you agree to it.

Can you afford it on your own?

This is the question most people want answered before anything else, and it's usually the one we can answer quickest. We'll work out what you could borrow on a single income, including how a lender would treat:

• Child support paid or received — some lenders count it as income, some don't

• Spousal maintenance, which is treated differently again

• Whether you're returning to work or increasing your hours

• Existing joint debts, including cards and car loans still in both names

• A payment to the other party as part of the settlement

Why timing matters

It's worth knowing your borrowing capacity before you agree a property settlement, not after. We've seen people agree to keep the family home only to find they can't refinance it on their own — which means going back to renegotiate at exactly the point everyone hoped they were finished.

A conversation early costs nothing and gives you real figures to work with. We're happy to have it well before anything is formalised.

Transferring a property between partners

Where one party takes over the home, the transfer is usually exempt from stamp duty in NSW if it's done under a formal agreement or court order. That's a meaningful saving and it's worth structuring properly — your solicitor will handle the agreement, and we'll make sure the finance lines up with it.

Keeping it discreet

We deal with this regularly and we understand it's not a normal transaction. Conversations are confidential, we'll work with whichever of you is our client, and we won't chase you if you decide not to proceed or need time.

What we can and can't do

We're not lawyers and we won't advise on your property settlement — you'll need a solicitor or family lawyer for that, and we'd encourage you to get one. What we can do is tell you clearly what's possible on the finance side, so you're making decisions with real numbers rather than assumptions.

If it helps, we're happy to speak with your solicitor directly so everyone's working from the same figures