Statistics Canada stopped collecting information strictly about divorces in 2008, but up until then the divorce trends in Canada were relatively stable. In recent decades, the annual rate of divorce has ranged from 35 per cent to 42 per cent, with the rate in 2008 being about 40 per cent. That year there were reportedly 70,226 divorces in Canada.
Sadly, these numbers reflect frequent emotional and financial upheaval on an individual level. If you are going through divorce, then you’re undoubtedly going through one of the most difficult times in your life, if not the single most difficult. You need a legal professional on your side to protect your interests while you focus on healing.
Whether you’re dealing with matters of child custody, child support, spousal support or property division, the matrimonial home may be the key issue in your divorce. Often the home is the couple’s biggest asset and only source of equity in the equalization of property. Whether or not you leave or remain in the matrimonial home can affect every aspect of the divorce, including the amount of time you spend with your children.
Often the spouse who stays in the home with the kids is the party who receives spousal support. This is likely to be in addition to child support. Even if there are no children involved, staying in the home can affect one’s entitlement to spousal support and the amount.
To learn more about how the matrimonial home can affect a divorce settlement, please see MatrimonialHome.com’s Equalization of Property overview.