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How alimony can help the receiving spouse

On Behalf of | Oct 3, 2015 | Spousal Support

Couples who are divorcing dispute over various issues for long and short periods of time. In some situations, one spouse may be surprised by the other because of what they are requesting of them and find it unfair, which is what can lead to the disputes. One of these surprising issues couples may disagree and dispute over is alimony.

Alimony is a monthly payment that is made by one spouse to the other to help them maintain the standard of living the couple had during the marriage. When people request alimony from their spouse, it is often because they are not able to support themselves financially because they may have given up their job to stay home and take care of the children, so they will require assistance following the end of the marriage. The duration of the payments varies, but in some cases, one spouse may only receive alimony until they get back on their feet and show that they are financially independent.

Spousal support is similar to child support because there are factors that have to be examined before it is awarded to one spouse. Not only will courts examine your monthly income, length of marriage and your age, but they will also examine your spouse’s information as well to help them determine if you really need alimony. This means that just because you requested it, doesn’t mean that it will be awarded to you.

If you are getting divorced and plan to request spousal support from your spouse, you may want to speak to an attorney. You may need alimony to help you get back on your feet, and you don’t want to risk a judge not awarding it to you because of a mistake you have made. There is a process that must be followed in order for a spouse to receive alimony, so you will want a knowledgeable attorney there by your side to assist with your case.

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