Financial Issues in Family Law

Practice Point

Your guide to understanding financial information in financially complex family law cases

This publication is essential for: all lawyers advising family law clients on financially complex issues

Financial Issues in Family Law guides you through the financially complex matters that arise on the breakdown of a relationship when one or both of the spouses have business interests and interests in trusts. This includes characterization as family property or excluded property, financial disclosure, valuation principles, methods of division, tax consequences, and the calculation of income for child support.

To help illustrate the concepts, sample documents are presented and annotated with practical commentary. Among these are financial statements for a sole proprietorship, a holding company, and an operating company, as well as business valuations for the holding company and operating company, a trust agreement, sample tax returns, and a calculation of Child Support Guideline income.

With this resource, you will be able to:

  • understand the nature of ownership of a business and the information contained in the financial statements of the business
  • work effectively with an expert on preparing or critiquing a business valuation
  • understand the nature of an interest in a trust
  • confidently identify tax considerations of property division and income available for child support

Order today and confidently handle financially complex cases!

Highlights of the 2026 Update of Financial Issues in Family Law include:

  • case law, legislation, practice points, and sample reports brought current to August 1, 2026
  • new content across several chapters addressing the specific issues that arise where cryptocurrency assets and activities form part of a financially complex family law matter
  • new discussion about how income may be imputed for support purposes based on lifestyle factors
  • expanded coverage of options for dividing assets, including discussion of continued co-ownership of a business
  • a substantially revised chapter on trusts
  • added discussion about shareholders’ accounts and their treatment in the context of business valuations

Editorial Board
Kelsey K. Beazer — Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP, Vancouver
Ian B. Hayward — Hayward Sheppard Barristers & Solicitors, Vancouver
Lisa Slater — DLA Piper, Vancouver
Josephine Wong — Hayward Sheppard Barristers & Solicitors, Vancouver

Authors
Renée Aldana — South Coast Law Group, Surrey
Baljit Badhan — Entrust Law Corporation, Kelowna
Elise Everest — Entrust Law Corporation, Kelowna
Rebecca Hobbs, CPA, CA, CBV — Daum Terpkosh Valuations, Vancouver
Judith A. Janzen — Onyx Law Group, Vancouver
Shanna Kean — Entrust Law Corporation, Kelowna
Roja Safartabar — Daykin Walker Kaderly Wahid LLP, Vancouver
Sunny Sanghera — Evren Valuation, Vancouver
Pamela Sheppard — Farris LLP, Vancouver
Nick Smith — Legacy Tax + Trust Lawyers, Vancouver

Chapters

1. Nature of the Property in Financially Complex Family Law Matters

2. Essential Legal Issues in Financially Complex Family Law Matters

3. Financial Statements of the Business

4. Valuation of the Business

5. Trust Settlement and Valuation of the Trust Interest

6. Tax Aspects of Division of Family Property

7. Determining Income for Child and Spousal Support Purposes

Tables
Case Table
Statutes and Related Material Table
Index

“CLEBC’s latest edition of Financial Issues in Family Law is an essential book for navigating the complex financial landscape inherent in family law. Having held onto the second edition since 2009, I eagerly welcomed the updated release and it did not disappoint.

“This book is accessible, clear, and comprehensive. From understanding the intricacies of corporate financial statements and business valuations to explaining taxes and trusts in property division to determining guideline income for support purposes, this book will empower family law lawyers to approach their cases with confidence and competence. It offers practical, invaluable, and time-saving resources, such as checklists for document disclosure for business valuations, tax checklists, sample precedents for retainer agreements, and sample worksheets for guideline income calculations.

“CLEBC’s exemplary dedication to legal education shines brightly in Financial Issues in Family Law, making it an indispensable and highly recommended addition to any family law lawyer’s library.”

~ Manpreet Mand, Mand Law & Mediation