A well-drafted family agreement can prevent a dispute, or end one. We draft and review agreements, and we provide the independent legal advice Alberta law requires for many of them.
Family agreements let couples decide for themselves how property, support and, after separation, parenting will be handled. An agreement is only as good as its drafting and the process behind it. Agreements that are signed without full financial disclosure, without independent legal advice, or under pressure are vulnerable to being challenged later.
Under Alberta’s Family Property Act, an agreement about property must generally be acknowledged by each party in writing, apart from the other party, before a lawyer who is not acting for the other party. Each person should have their own lawyer. We can act for one party in preparing the agreement, or provide independent legal advice to a party whose partner has their own lawyer.
We learn what you want the agreement to achieve and the assets involved.
Both parties exchange financial information.
We prepare or review the draft and negotiate changes with the other lawyer.
Each party receives independent legal advice and signs, with the required acknowledgments.
No. Each party should have their own lawyer, and for property agreements the law requires independent acknowledgment. A lawyer cannot advise both sides of the same agreement.
Agreements made before separation cannot bind a court on parenting or child support, which are decided based on the child’s interests at the time. They are most effective for property and spousal support.
Yes, if both parties agree, through an amending agreement with the same formalities. Some terms can also be changed by a court in limited circumstances.
Book a consultation online, or call us Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
587-393-3958Request a consultationBook a consultation online, or call us at 587-393-3958, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The information on this page is general information, not legal advice, and may not reflect recent changes in the law. Contacting UMPC Law does not create a lawyer–client relationship.
UMPC Law is the trade name of Usman Mahmood Professional Corporation, a law practice in Northeast Calgary representing clients in immigration, motor vehicle accident, criminal and family matters.
Suite 210, 3132 26 Street NE
Calgary, Alberta T1Y 6Z1
587-393-3958
Fax 587-393-3960
info@umpclaw.ca
Monday to Friday
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The information on this website is general information, not legal advice. Contacting UMPC Law does not create a lawyer–client relationship. Limitation periods and deadlines can be short; get advice promptly.
© 2026 UMPC Law. All rights reserved.Privacy PolicyLegal Disclaimer
