What Canadian family lawyers have obtained the highest lump sum spousal support awards and an order that even more support could be paid by a high-net-worth payor? Our Highest Lump Sum Winning Spousal Support Lawyers have received so many calls on lump sum spousal support after setting a Canadian Family Law Record in this area. Lump sum awards are rare and our win of $5.5 million lump sum plus the ability to go for even more spousal support down the road has sent shock waves in family law circles. Of course our win was widely reported worldwide.
Lorne MacLean KC handles the most challenging cases involving the highest “I am all in” high net worth family law disputes. He handles cases many other lawyers feel are too high conflict and challenging.
Vancouver Highest Lump Sum Winning Spousal Support Lawyers Tel: 604 602 9000
If you want to know how How Does Lump Sum Spousal Work In Canada? Call us now.
In MacLean Law’s front page international news win Devathasan v Devathasan, 2019 BCSC 661 (CanLII), the court ordered a lump sum spousal support award of $4,313,000 for the period from the date of judgment through August 2024, in addition to past spousal support of $1,185,344 (paras 381, 393). An appeal on this award was dismissed by the BC Court of Appeal because the husband failed to comply with conditions we had the Court set.
MacLean Law also set record interim spousal and child support at over $116,000 a month in 2017. The interim order also included a rare Canadian family case Mareva Injunction win freezing worldwide assets.
MacLean Law Sets Highest BC spousal support award at $100,000 monthly
At trial Lorne MacLean KC succeeded in increasing spousal support to $100,000.00 monthly and oibtained $16,000 for child support for a single child.
The total lump sum win by MacLean Law was 5.5 million! This was in addition to a 25 million property settlement and the highest BC special costs family award of $1,500,000. The lump sum plus costs plus property award totals a staggering $33 million. This doesn’t include a $16,000 a month child support award for one child which was also converted to a large lump sum.
The court found that Ms. Devathasan had a strong entitlement to spousal support on both compensatory and non-compensatory grounds, given the long duration of the marriage, her role as homemaker, and the significant disparity in income and earning capacity (paras 340-347). The court considered the SSAG ranges but exercised discretion due to the very high income of Dr. Devathasan (paras 348-352). The court determined that a lump sum award was appropriate due to the high-conflict nature of the proceedings, Dr. Devathasan’s past misconduct and risk of non-payment, and the need to avoid ongoing litigation between the parties (paras 377-379). The court calculated the lump sum based on monthly support of $100,000 until January 2020, then $70,000 per month until August 2024, discounted at 3% (paras 380).
Conclusion:
The court ordered Dr. Devathasan to pay Ms. Devathasan a lump sum spousal support award of $4,313,000 for the period from the date of judgment through August 2024, in addition to past spousal support of $1,185,344 (paras 381, 393). Notably Dr Devathasan was nearing 70 at the time of the order and claimed health issues but the Court held wife was ALSO at liberty to apply for even more support once Dr Devathasan attained age 75.
Vancouver Highest Lump Sum Winning Spousal Support Lawyers -Why Should Family Lawyers Be Aware Of These Principles?
The BC Court of Appeal has cited this case as an important case when a court needs to decide whether it should award large multimillion dollar lump sum spousal support.
How Does Lump Sum Spousal Work In Canada? Tel: 604 602 9000
The Highest Lump Sum Winning Spousal Support Lawyers at MacLean Law want the public to know it isn’t easy to get massive lump sum awards and that these awards are rare and often much smaller than the win we obtained for our client.
The CLEBC summary on lump sum support states:
The advantages include: terminating ongoing contact or ties between the parties; removing the cost and uncertainty associated with future reviews or variations of support; providing capital to meet an immediate need on the part of a recipient spouse; ensuring adequate support where there is a real risk of non-payment of periodic support; lack of financial disclosure; circumstances in which the payor can pay a lump sum from capital but not periodic support from income; and immediately satisfying an award of retroactive support.
The disadvantages include: the real possibility that the parties’ needs and means will change over time in a way that is unanticipated, leading to a situation where the lump sum constitutes a significant overpayment or underpayment; the fact that the parties will be effectively deprived of the right to vary a lump sum award; and the difficulties inherent in calculating an appropriate lump sum.
Other Smaller Lump Sum Support Cases Tel: 604 602 9000
Most lump sum cases result in modest awards where tax discounts and present value discounts are applied for getting the money up front instead of over several years. Remember divorcemate calculations used by family lawyers do not provide discounts for illness, death, job loss, remarriage of either party. make sure your lawyer understands these factors and protects you.
Rangdhu v Rangdhu, 2024 BCSC 1554 (CanLII) ordered a lump sum spousal support award of $138,558, representing a high lump sum spousal support award in British Columbia within the last 8 years (paras 65, 103(6)(d)).
In K.L.L. v H.H.C, 2025 BCSC 55 (CanLII), the court ordered a lump sum spousal support award of $300,000 (paras 5, 140, 145, 147-149).
Tereposky v Fooks, 2023 BCSC 1989 (CanLII) ordered a lump sum spousal support award of $160,000, net of tax (paras 94, 101).
Contact us early on if you have a difficult high net worth or wealthy divorce case in BC or Calgary.
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