Your Solicitors in Sydney’s Inner West
Contact
- Shop 1, 192-200 Parramatta Road. Stanmore NSW 2048
- Tel.: 02 9159 9026
- Mail : info@fletchlaw.com.au
©2021. Eyers Borowy Pty Ltd, Trading as Fletch Law. All Rights Reserved.
Petersham Spousal Maintenance Lawyers
Did You Give Up Your Career — or Significantly Scale It Back — to Support Your Partner or Raise Your Children, and Are You Now Facing the Financial Consequences of That Sacrifice?
FletchLaw puts your contribution to the relationship front and centre — making sure the law recognises what you gave up and what you’re now owed. We serve Petersham and the Inner West, and your first conversation with us won’t cost you a cent.
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Are You Facing Any of These Concerns Right Now?
Do you know whether you're entitled to spousal maintenance — and how the amount is calculated?
Spousal maintenance is available where one party to a marriage or de facto relationship cannot adequately support themselves after separation, and the other party has the capacity to pay. The amount is determined by a range of factors — the length of the relationship, each party’s income and earning capacity, the standard of living during the relationship, and the financial impact of the decisions made during it. We’ll assess your position clearly and honestly.
Are you worried that the years you spent out of the workforce will leave you financially exposed now that the relationship is over?
Leaving paid employment — whether to raise children, support a partner’s career, or manage a household — is a contribution that Australian family law recognises. But recognising it and being properly compensated for it are two different things. Getting experienced legal advice is the difference between an outcome that acknowledges your sacrifice and one that doesn’t.
Are you the higher earner — and are you concerned about maintenance obligations that feel disproportionate or open-ended?
Spousal maintenance is not automatically ongoing or unlimited. It is typically intended to support a party while they take reasonable steps to become self-sufficient — and the amount and duration should reflect that purpose. If you’re facing a claim that feels excessive or without a clear endpoint, we can help you understand what’s reasonable and how to respond.
Has your ex stopped paying the maintenance they're legally required to pay — and do you know what you can do about it?
A spousal maintenance order or agreement is legally binding — and non-compliance has consequences. If payments have stopped or become irregular, there are enforcement mechanisms available to you. We act promptly to make sure your entitlements are enforced and that the disruption to your finances is resolved as quickly as possible.
Have your circumstances changed significantly since the original maintenance arrangement was made — and do you know whether it can be varied?
Spousal maintenance orders and agreements can be varied where there has been a significant change in circumstances — a change in income, a new relationship, a health issue, or a change in the needs of either party. We advise on variation applications for both recipients and payors, making sure the arrangement continues to reflect reality.
Are you about to finalise a property settlement — and do you know how spousal maintenance interacts with what you'll receive?
Spousal maintenance and property settlement are separate legal considerations — but they are closely related in practice. An inadequate property settlement may increase the case for maintenance, and a generous settlement may reduce or eliminate it. Getting advice on both at the same time ensures that the full financial picture is addressed coherently and fairly.
Meet Simon Fletcher
The financial consequences of separation fall unevenly — and for the partner who sacrificed career progression, income, or professional development to support the relationship, the impact can be severe and long-lasting. Spousal maintenance exists precisely to address that imbalance, and at FletchLaw we make sure it’s pursued with the seriousness it deserves.
Simon Fletcher has advised Petersham and Inner West clients on spousal maintenance from both sides of the equation — recipients who need proper financial support while they rebuild, and payors who want to ensure their obligations are fair, clearly defined, and not open-ended. He brings the same plain-English clarity and genuine commitment to a fair outcome to every matter he handles.
Whether you’re assessing an entitlement for the first time, enforcing an existing order, or seeking a variation to arrangements that no longer reflect your circumstances, the place to start is a free, no-obligation conversation. Your first consultation with Simon won’t cost you a cent.
Book your free telephone consultation now.
How We Can Help You Through This
We'll assess your entitlement to spousal maintenance clearly and honestly — taking into account your income, your earning capacity, the standard of living during the relationship, and the contributions you made that are now costing you financially.
We'll make sure your career sacrifice — whether that's years out of the workforce, reduced hours, or foregone professional development — is properly recognised and reflected in any maintenance assessment or negotiation.
We'll advise payors on what a fair and reasonable maintenance obligation looks like — including appropriate time limits and conditions — so that obligations are clear, defined, and not disproportionate to the circumstances.
We'll negotiate spousal maintenance arrangements on your behalf — whether as part of a broader property settlement or as a standalone matter — and make sure any agreement reached is properly documented and enforceable.
We'll apply for urgent spousal maintenance where immediate financial support is needed — because some situations cannot wait for a full property settlement to be finalised.
We'll take enforcement action if existing maintenance obligations are not being met — promptly and effectively, so that the disruption to your finances is minimised.
We'll advise on variation applications where circumstances have changed significantly — for both recipients and payors — making sure the arrangement continues to reflect the reality of both parties' situations.
We'll consider spousal maintenance alongside your property settlement — making sure the two are addressed coherently and that nothing important falls through the gap between them.
We'll be there throughout — responsive, experienced, and completely focused on making sure the financial outcome of your separation is as fair as the law allows.
The 3 Step FletchLaw Process
Book Your Free, No-Obligation Consultation
Call us and speak directly with Simon Fletcher. He'll listen carefully to your circumstances, assess your maintenance entitlement or obligation honestly, and give you a clear picture of your legal position. No cost, no pressure, no commitment — just experienced, plain-English advice at a moment when financial clarity matters most.
We Build Your Case and Negotiate on Your Behalf
Once you decide to work with us, we take care of everything — documenting your financial position, assessing the relevant factors, negotiating with your ex's legal team, and pursuing the outcome you're entitled to. We carry the legal weight so you can focus on stabilising your life and looking ahead.
Move Forward With Financial Security and Certainty
With a properly documented maintenance arrangement in place, you have the financial foundation to rebuild — knowing that what you gave up during the relationship has been formally recognised, and that your entitlements are legally protected. The sacrifice you made deserves to be properly acknowledged. We make sure it is.
Take the First Step — Your Free Consultation Won't Cost You a Cent
The financial impact of separation can feel overwhelming — particularly when you’ve spent years prioritising your family over your own career and income. Your initial consultation with Simon Fletcher is completely free. It’s a calm, confidential conversation focused entirely on understanding your situation and your options. Here’s what you can expect:
- A warm, judgment-free conversation — a private space to share what’s happened, explain the sacrifices you’ve made, and get honest answers without any pressure to proceed
- Clarity on your entitlements — a plain-English explanation of whether spousal maintenance applies to your situation, how it’s calculated, and what a realistic outcome looks like for someone in your circumstances
- An honest overview of the process — a straightforward picture of how maintenance matters are typically resolved, how long it takes, and what the key decision points are along the way
- Practical, personalised guidance — advice built around your specific financial situation, your career history, and the contributions you made during the relationship — not a generic overview of how the law works in theory
- The space to ask anything — whether it’s about entitlement, enforcement, variation, urgency, or how maintenance interacts with your property settlement — this is your time
Ready to take the first step? Call us today to book your free consultation — we're here to help.
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What to Expect When You Work with FletchLaw
Free initial consultation with no obligation
Speak with Simon, get honest answers about your maintenance entitlements or obligations, and decide whether we’re the right fit — without spending a cent.
Transparent billing with no surprises
Every charge explained clearly before work begins. You’ll always know what you’re paying for and why — with nothing added without your knowledge.
Direct access to Simon Fletcher throughout
You work with the principal solicitor from the first conversation to the final agreement — not passed between staff or left with someone unfamiliar with your matter.
Plain English at every stage
Spousal maintenance law can be nuanced — but we explain every aspect of it in language that makes real sense for your situation, without unnecessary complexity.
Advice for both recipients and payors
We act for clients on both sides of maintenance matters — ensuring entitlements are properly claimed and obligations are fair, clearly defined, and appropriately time-limited.
Urgent maintenance applications where needed
Where immediate financial support is required, we move quickly — because waiting for a full property settlement to resolve isn’t always an option.
Enforcement action when obligations aren't met
If maintenance isn’t being paid as ordered or agreed, we act promptly to enforce your entitlements and restore financial certainty as quickly as possible.
Variation advice when circumstances change
We advise on variation applications for both parties — making sure maintenance arrangements continue to reflect the reality of each person’s situation over time.
Coordinated advice across maintenance and property
We consider both matters together — so that your overall financial outcome is coherent, fair, and leaves nothing important unresolved.
A local Inner West firm that knows this community
We’re based in Stanmore, minutes from Petersham. We know the Inner West, its families, and the particular financial pressures that separation places on the people who live here.
From Petersham to FletchLaw in Minutes
FletchLaw is just 2.1 kilometres from the centre of Petersham — a six-minute drive along Parramatta Road. We’re not a distant city firm you have to travel to in a crisis. We’re your neighbours in the Inner West, part of the same streets, the same community, and the same daily life that Petersham families know well. When you need us, we’re close.
Serving the Petersham & Inner West Community
Petersham is one of the Inner West’s most distinctive and tightly-knit suburbs — a place where heritage streetscapes, a thriving village atmosphere, and a genuinely diverse community all come together. For families here, home isn’t just a property. It’s a neighbourhood, a school, a set of relationships built over years.
The Former Petersham Fire Station on Parramatta Road is one of the suburb's most recognisable landmarks. Its bold Victorian red brick and heritage bay doors have anchored this stretch of the community for well over a century — a reminder of the deep roots Petersham families have put down here.
All Saints Anglican Church stands as one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in the Inner West. Its ornate brickwork and commanding roofline have provided a point of quiet continuity for the Petersham community through generations of change.
Petersham Railway Station — with its elegant sandstone building and Victorian platform ironwork — has been connecting this suburb to the rest of Sydney since the nineteenth century. For many families, it's simply part of the daily rhythm of life here.
Other FletchLaw Services
Ready to Take the First Step?
Book your free, no-obligation consultation today and make sure the sacrifice you made during your relationship is properly recognised and fairly compensated.