But nowadays, there’s a bunch of free and low-cost digital tools that can help couples separate without breaking the bank.
In other words, separation doesn’t have to be expensive, adversarial or overwhelming.
If you have kids, minimising cost and conflict matters. These approaches can help build a workable relationship after separation, which is hugely important for your children.
Of course, when you’re in the midst of separation, the last thing on your mind is paperwork, gathering documents or updating bank details.
Understanding how separation affects your money and tackling admin early can be one of the most empowering steps you can take.
That’s why we’ve pulled together some information for families going through separation or divorce. These simple admin steps can save you money.
Updating your details can mean more support
When your relationship status changes, your eligibility for payments can change overnight.
Updating your details with Services Australia, including care arrangements, may change payments such as:
- Family Tax Benefit
- Rent Assistance
- Child Care Subsidy
- Parenting Payment or JobSeeker.
Care arrangements matter. When they’re not updated, one parent may be overpaid while the other misses out, creating stress, debt and conflict.
Care percentages directly affect:
If you have a child support case, you can update your care arrangements using your Child Support online account or call the Child Support enquiries line on 131 272.
Or if you receive Child Care Subsidy and/or Family Tax Benefit, you can tell us of a change in care arrangements by calling us on the families line (136 150) or completing and returning a Details of your child’s care arrangements form.
It’s important to update your Medicare details and bank account information in myGov so rebates and benefits go to the right person.
If you move and are receiving a payment from us, update your accommodation and address details so Services Australia can assess you for Rent Assistance.
AI is changing the separation journey
One of the biggest developments many people don’t know about is amica, a low-cost Australian Government–supported tool that uses AI to suggest how couples might divide their property.
This tool has supported more than 17,000 separating couples to work through parenting and property arrangements in a guided and practical way, drawing on real‑world family law scenarios and legal expertise.
All suggested property divisions are quality assured by a lawyer, after which amica can generate draft property consent orders that can be filed with a court.
This tool can dramatically reduce conflict, confusion and legal costs, especially for people trying to manage separation on a budget.
Separate your finances where possible
Even after separation, you may still be legally responsible for joint debts, no matter what private agreements are made.
Practical steps include:
- Opening a bank account in your own name
- Redirecting your income
- Telling your bank about the separation (they may restrict large withdrawals on joint accounts)
- Considering refinancing or restructuring joint loans
- Updating bank details linked to government services and Medicare (Services Australia can’t pay you if you don’t give us the correct bank details).
Gather documents early
Having documents ready can mean fewer legal hours billed and faster processing.
Key documents may include:
- Proof of income
- Bank statements
- Loan and credit card details
- Rental or property ownership documents
- Child care invoices
- Superannuation details.
Make the most of free help available
There’s no such thing as a ‘cheap’ separation, but you can reduce costs by using free and low-cost government services that already exist.
These include:
- amica - the low-cost online tool for property and parenting agreements
- Services Australia Payment Finder
- Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy and Child Support calculators
- myGov - to update details without appointments
- The Financial Information Service (FIS) - a free service that can inform and educate you about financial matters
- Legal Aid and community legal centres - for free legal advice and referrals
- Family Relationship Advice Line - you can call 1800 050 321 for advice on family separation and referrals to local services.
No digital tool is right for every situation. Where family or domestic violence is involved, safety must always come first.
Services Australia can provide free, confidential support, including help from social workers and access to payments such as the Crisis Payment for people leaving violent situations. These supports are designed to help people regain stability before dealing with legal or administrative processes.
Originally published by Yahoo Finance on 10 May 2026.