At some point, you may realize that your marriage is no longer working. In this case, it’s only natural to look into divorce.
As the divorce process moves forward, you may need to answer questions related to child custody, child support, property division and alimony.
Alimony is one of those details that many people turn their attention to early in the process.
The purpose of alimony, also known as spousal support, is to limit any unfair economic circumstances that will come about as the result of a divorce. In other words, if one person will “make out” better than the other, this person may have to pay alimony.
What is the amount of alimony?
With child support, most states have strict guidelines that determine how much one parent will pay the other. This is not the case with alimony. Instead, the court takes many factors into consideration, such as:
— The physical and mental health of both individuals
— The age and financial condition of both individuals
— The length of the marriage (alimony is more common with marriages that last 10 or more years)
— The standard of living during the marriage
— The ability for the person paying alimony to also support oneself
It’s a common misconception that alimony is paid forever. While this may be the case, this doesn’t typically hold true. Instead, this is usually temporary, giving the person receiving support enough time to find a job or receive an education.
If you have reason to believe that you should receive alimony as a result of your divorce case, you don’t want to give in until you exhaust all options. This money could go a long way in helping you maintain a reasonable standard of living until you are able to care for yourself.
There is no guarantee that alimony will come into play during a divorce case, so you should consult with a family law attorney about your legal rights. This holds true whether you think you will have to pay alimony or are in position to receive spousal support.
An attorney knows the finer details of the law, including the way the court looks at alimony during a divorce case. With professional help on your side, you will be in good hands from beginning to end.