Live Webinar: The End of Add Backs? Family Law Property Settlements After the Amended s 79 Framework

The amendments to s 79 of the Family Law Act 1975 have significantly reshaped how courts deal with notional property and dissipated assets in property settlement proceedings. By confining the asset pool to existing legal and equitable interests, the reforms have curtailed the traditional use of add backs, forcing practitioners to rethink how asset dissipation is argued and addressed. This session examines how the amended framework is operating in practice, and what it means for advising clients in contested property matters. It will cover:

• The legislative shift to "existing" legal and equitable interests under s 79(3)
• Why add backs can no longer form part of the asset pool
• The role of ss 79(4) and (5) in assessing dissipated assets through contributions and future needs
• Practical lessons from Shinohara v Shinohara and other relevant cases
• How the Full Court reconciled procedural fairness arguments with the new legislative framework
• Strategic considerations for practitioners when addressing previously held assets
• Key implications for advising clients on property settlement matters