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Spousal Support and Alimony
Spousal support is an arrangement made to prevent a divorced spouse from suffering a decrease in his or her standard of living. Often, one spouse has been out of the workforce for a significant amount of time or is untrained; making it difficult or impossible to find a professional position that would allow them to maintain a similar standard of living.
Spousal support claims maybe amended long after the final divorce decree is handed down, depending on changes in circumstance such as needs of the parties, earning ability and other criteria. It is decided on a case-by-case basis and may be impacted by the overall asset and debt division that occurs in the divorce.
You and your spouse can come to an agreement on what will be awarded or the courts will decide based on several factors.
How is Spousal Support Determined?
The law provides important guidelines for the payment of spousal support (also known as alimony) but there is no black and white formula. There are 11 key factors — ranging from duration of the marriage to the ability of the parties to pay — that determine who receives spousal support and to what extent.
Some of these factors include:
- How each spouse behaved during your marriage
- How long you were married
- Whether or not each spouse can work
- How much property each person is getting in the divorce and whether it is “liquid”
- Your ages, incomes, and health
- Your prior standard of living and whether there are other people to support
- What is fair relative you both your situations
Spousal support can be temporary or permanent. Before you agree to terms that may not be in your long-term best interest speak with the law offices of ADAM 810-244-2326. We have protected the rights of men since 1988.