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Difference between revisions of "Parents"
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→Orders not available to unmarried couples
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A couple who have a child but did not live together, or who lived together for less than two years and did not have a child, cannot ask for orders under the ''[[Family Law Act]]'' about: | A couple who have a child but did not live together, or who lived together for less than two years and did not have a child, cannot ask for orders under the ''[[Family Law Act]]'' about: | ||
*child support for the benefit of stepchildren | *spousal support, | ||
*child support for the benefit of stepchildren, or | |||
*the division of family property and family debt. | *the division of family property and family debt. | ||
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====Spousal support==== | ====Spousal support==== | ||
Section 3 of the ''Family Law Act'' defines a "spouse" for the | Section 3 of the ''Family Law Act'' defines a "spouse" for the purpose of claims for spousal support as someone who has lived in a marriage-like relationship with someone else for at least two years or for less than two years if the couple has had a child together. Since only spouses are eligible for spousal support, people who do not meet these criteria cannot apply for spousal support. | ||
====Child support for stepchildren==== | ====Child support for stepchildren==== | ||
Stepparents can be required to pay child support for the benefit of their stepchildren. However, s. 146 of the ''Family Law Act'' defines a ''stepparent'' as someone who is "a spouse of the child's parent." As a result, someone in an unmarried relationship that doesn't qualify as a spousal relationship cannot be made to pay child support for the other person's children. | Stepparents can be required to pay child support for the benefit of their stepchildren. However, s. 146 of the ''Family Law Act'' defines a ''stepparent'' as someone who is "a spouse of the child's parent." As a result, someone in an unmarried relationship that doesn't qualify as a spousal relationship cannot be made to pay child support for the other person's children from a previous relationship. | ||
====Family property and family debt==== | ====Family property and family debt==== | ||
The ''Family Law Act'' defines a "spouse" for the purposes of claims about property and debt as someone who has lived in a marriage-like relationship with someone else for at least two years. Only | The ''Family Law Act'' defines a "spouse" for the purposes of claims about property and debt as someone who is married or has lived in a marriage-like relationship with someone else for at least two years. Only people who meet this narrower definition of spouse may ask for orders about the division of property and debt under the act. | ||
===Agreements available to unmarried couples=== | ===Agreements available to unmarried couples=== | ||