Contingent liabilities are potential financial obligations that may occur due to certain events or conditions. In the context of the Family Law Act, spouses are allowed to deduct these liabilities from their property's value on both the valuation date and the marriage date. This deduction can significantly impact the net family property calculation, which forms the basis for property division upon the dissolution of a marriage.

NFP refers to the value of all the assets that a spouse has accumulated from the date of the marriage to the valuation date, after subtracting the debts and liabilities. It is not merely a total of assets but includes several considerations such as the valuation of specific assets or liabilities and deductions or exclusions of certain items. The resulting figure, though arrived at individually, is used to determine an equalization payment, which is paid by the spouse with the higher NFP to the one with the lower NFP.

Equalization deductions come into play when a marriage ends, either through divorce or separation. As per Section 4(1) of the Family Law Act, a spouse can deduct debts and other liabilities, along with the value of property they owned on the date of marriage from their net family property for the purposes of equalization. However, the onus of proving a deduction lies on the spouse claiming the deduction. Hence, it is crucial for a spouse to maintain detailed records of their financial position on the date of marriage to substantiate their claim.

A key component of this is understanding the concept of 'excluded property'. Excluded property refers to certain types of property that are not included in the net family property calculation, which is the method used to divide property between spouses during a divorce or separation.

Part I of the Family Law Act forms the basis for claims made by married spouses. The Act acknowledges marriage as a partnership and asserts that wealth accumulated during the marriage should be equally divided upon its breakdown. This provision is designed to ensure an orderly settlement and provide certainty following the dissolution of a marital relationship.

One such exception is the status of Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) pensions. According to a Court of Appeal for Ontario ruling in the case of Lowe v. Lowe, WSIB pensions are not considered "property" under the FLA. This is significant because, in general, pensions are included in the net family property calculation during a divorce or separation. However, the different treatment of WSIB pensions means that they are not factored into this calculation.

The calculation of net family property is determined by the spouse’s valuation date value (the value of all the spouse’s property on the valuation date minus all debts and liabilities on the valuation date) and the spouse’s date of marriage value (the value of all the spouse’s property at the date of marriage minus all debts and liabilities at the date of marriage). The date of marriage value is then subtracted from the valuation date value to arrive at a spouse’s net family property.

Upon the breakdown of a marriage, an important aspect to consider is the division of property. In many jurisdictions, the goal is to equalize the value of the property acquired during the marriage. However, what is often overlooked are the exceptions to what is included in calculating net family property, also known as exclusions. These exclusions play a significant role in determining the final net family property figure and can greatly influence the division of assets.

When navigating a marriage breakdown, one of the critical aspects to consider is the division of property. In Ontario, the Family Law Act (FLA) provides a comprehensive framework for this process, ensuring a fair division of assets. A significant part of this process pertains to the division of pensions, which can often be the largest asset a couple owns, aside from their home.

Divorce or separation can be a complex and challenging process, particularly when it comes to the division of property. Understanding how different types of property are treated under the law can be crucial for a fair and equitable division of assets. In this post, we will delve into two types of assets that can be particularly complex: stock options and trust interests in property.

When it comes to the division of property during a divorce or separation, the process is typically guided by the principle of equalization. However, there are exceptions to the rule. One such exception is the concept of "unconscionability." This legal term refers to situations where the result of equalization would be so unjust or excessively one-sided that it would "shock the conscience of the court." In this blog post, we'll delve into the concept of unconscionability under Ontario's Family Law Act (FLA).