Alimony
The end of a marriage can be a financially challenging experience. Often one spouse feels financially insecure, wondering how they will pay their monthly bills, how they will live, and how they will support themselves as well as any minor children. On the other hand, the other spouse may be concerned about what monies they may be ordered to pay to their former spouse and how that will affect their ability to live and support themselves in the future.
The court system takes a number of factors into consideration when determining if spousal support should be paid as well as the amount and duration of any payments. Let us discuss these factors with you so you may have a better understanding of your financial future.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alimony
What is the difference between spousal support and alimony?
Spousal support is a term which refers to court-ordered payments to your spouse which are made prior to your divorce being final. Alimony is the term which refers to court-ordered payments made to your former spouse which are made after your divorce is finalized and the payments may continue into the future for a specific period of time or the payments may continue well into the future.
We were only married for a short period of time and my spouse had a job during the marriage too. I shouldn’t owe my spouse any spousal support or alimony, should I?
The short answer; it depends. A number of factors are used to determine whether your spouse should be awarded spousal support and therefore the answer is not a simple yes or no. Take the time schedule a consultation with our office so we can work through the facts of your case and assist you.
My former spouse has re-married. Shouldn’t my alimony payments just stop?
As with most legal issues, the court does not “just stop” or start without someone putting the court on notice. Imagine a court system that was able to keep up with everyone’s marriages, divorces, births, deaths, what an amazing chore that would be! Instead, a party who wants the court to take action will be forced to make the court aware of changes in statuses and request the court to take action. Contact us to assist you.