How it works

From first question to finished agreement

No lawyer appointments, no legal jargon, no surprises. Three easy steps, done together, at your own pace.

The Jointly dashboard, showing agreement builder progress, partner-proposed changes, and getting-started checklist.
  1. 15 min

    Tell us about your situation

    Answer plain-language questions about your relationship, assets, and priorities. No legal jargon, no lawyer’s office.

    • Select your province and agreement type
    • Tell us about you and your partner
    • Choose what matters: property, business, support, pets, and more

    Why this matters: We need to understand your unique situation to create an agreement that actually protects what matters to you. Every couple is different.

    The Jointly builder open on the Relationship History section, with questions about the couple’s start date and living situation.
  2. 30 min

    We build your agreement

    Lawyer-drafted clauses assembled for your province as you answer, including working through any points you and your partner see differently.

    • Our system assembles the right legal clauses for your province
    • Every clause was drafted by practising Canadian lawyers
    • Province-specific rules are applied automatically
    • Watch your agreement come together in real time
    • See where you and your partner disagree, and collaborate to resolve it

    Why this matters: Unlike generic templates, your agreement is built specifically for your situation, your province, and your relationship.

    The Jointly builder showing a partner’s proposed change to a Relationship History answer, awaiting review, with the live document preview alongside.
  3. 1 week

    Review, sign, and breathe easier

    Go through it together, get independent legal advice, and sign.

    • Review your complete agreement in plain language
    • Make changes anytime before downloading
    • Get independent legal advice (recommended)
    • Sign with your partner and witnesses

    Why this matters: We recommend both partners get independent legal advice before signing. This strengthens the enforceability of your agreement.

    The Jointly builder with the agreement marked complete, offering PDF and DOCX downloads and next steps to sign with a lawyer.

Want to learn first?

We have a course for that

A plain-language course on the family law where you live is included free, before, during, or after building.

Take the course

Before you start

What you’ll need

Nothing fancy. If you can gather this, you’re ready.

  • Basic information about you and your partner
  • A list of your assets and debts (our worksheet builds it with you)
  • Your preferences for property and support, decided together
  • A computer, and about an hour for the builder (pause any time)