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Spousal support may be paid for a limited time or indefinitely

On Behalf of | Jul 25, 2015 | Spousal Support

When two people divorce, there is the chance that one spouse will be awarded spousal support. This may be seen as unfair, but the courts have decided one spouse deserves to be supported financially despite the marriage coming to an end. Even though one person may be awarded alimony, there are certain circumstances that affect how long someone may make these payments. People may assume that when they are awarded spousal support that these payments will continue for the rest of their lives, but this may not be true.

Alimony helps the lower wage earner get back on his or her feet following the divorce. It is not uncommon for the person who has been awarded alimony to be the spouse who may not have been working or made less, so they may not have the funds needed to maintain the standard of living or lifestyle they had during the marriage. Spousal support allows this to happen, but only for a certain period of time.

A good example of this would be if the person is able to establish themselves financially after receiving some type of job training or higher education. If this occurs, spousal support may come to a stop. Alimony payments may also come to an end if the spouse decides to remarry. If neither of these circumstances put an end to alimony payments, there may also be a termination date specified in the divorce decree, but there may not even be a termination date set when the spouse is first awarded alimony, so payments may be expected until the courts say otherwise.

If you are going through a divorce and are considering requesting spousal support, an attorney could possibly assist you with the process. You may not be able to receive this support for an extended period of time, but what you do receive could help you get back on your feet following the divorce.

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