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Free tool · Family law property settlement

Property settlement calculator for Australian couples.

Walks the s79 four-step process the Family Court applies, shows an indicative outcome range, and estimates the legal cost of each pathway. General information — not legal advice.

Compliance note. This calculator gives general information based on patterns in published Australian family-law matters. It is not a prediction for your matter. Only an admitted lawyer with a current practising certificate can advise you on what will happen in your specific case.

Step 1 — The asset pool

$
$
$
$
$

Step 2 — What each party brought in

$
$
15 yrs
010203040+ yrs

Step 3 — Future needs

Equal
Your partnerEqualYou

Live calculation

Loading...

Net asset pool

$0

Step 2 · Contributions

Equal contributions

 

Step 3 · Future needs adjustment

No adjustment

 

Estimated combined legal costs · by pathway

A. Consent ordersYou agree the terms; court seals them. 2–4 months.
$2k – $5kboth parties combined
B. Negotiated through lawyersMediation or solicitor negotiation. 6–14 months.
$15k – $45kboth parties combined
C. Contested to final hearingCourt application, hearing. 18–36 months.
$80k – $250kboth parties combined
Your share of fees (typical 50% of combined):~$7.5k – $22.5k

Indicative outcome range

50% to you

In settled matters with this profile, outcomes typically fall in this range. This is not a prediction for your matter.

Net to you after typical negotiated-pathway legal fees:

Take the full matter assessment Read the s79 explainer →

How this calculator works

The Family Court applies the four-step process under section 79 of the Family Law Act 1975 to every property settlement. This calculator follows the same four steps:

  1. Step 1 — Identify the net asset pool. All assets minus all liabilities at today’s figures, regardless of whose name they’re in.
  2. Step 2 — Assess contributions. Pre-relationship contributions are preserved at a discount that scales with relationship length: 80% for under 2 years, 50% for 2–7 years, 25% for 7–15 years, 10% for 15–25 years, 5% for 25+ years. The remainder is split equally.
  3. Step 3 — Future needs adjustment. Up to ±20% applied based on income, age, health, care responsibilities. Children primary care: +7% to that parent.
  4. Step 4 — Just and equitable. The court sanity-checks the percentage produced by steps 1–3. Adjustments at step 4 are rare.

The output is shown as a range (typically ±5–8%) drawn from patterns in settled Australian family-law matters. It is not a prediction for your specific matter. Specific facts not captured here — the quality of evidence, the credibility of contributions, particular court discretion, business or trust valuation disputes — can move the result materially.

What the cost estimates show

The three pathway estimates — consent orders, negotiated, contested to final hearing — are drawn from our 2026 practitioner survey and published Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia cost data. The figures are combined (both parties’ legal fees together) and scale with the complexity of your matter as you input it.

For a fuller cost breakdown by matter type, see our Family law cost guide.

Want a guided assessment instead?

This calculator focuses on the property-settlement maths. For a wider picture — including parenting arrangements, urgency, pathway recommendations and a specialist match — take the Family law matter assessment. It’s eight questions and produces a fuller report including the questions to ask a lawyer.

About this tool

Last reviewed 19 May 2026. Built by the Lawyer Reviews Australia editorial team. Reviewed by an admitted Australian family lawyer prior to publication. Corrections to corrections@lawyerreviews.com.au. How we work →