Respected divorce lawyers tell us that
spousal support or alimony can be classified into two broad categories, namely
short term support and long term support. Another sub classification is
temporary spousal support which a spouse may receive while more long term
arrangements are being specked out.
When it comes to spousal support, issues
such as how much will be paid, how long it will be paid for and at what
frequency it will be paid will be at the judge’s discretion.
However, there are certain ground rules
and references that help judges make a viable decision when it comes to spousal
support. The judge will consider factors such as how long the couple were
married for, their income, what sort of assets they possess, whether they have
children together or any joint or individual mortgages.
As a general rule of thumb, most judges
pass verdicts where spousal support will have to be paid for a period which is
half of the duration that the marriage lasted for, say divorce attorneys who
can be reached by pressing right here Divorce.USAttorneys.com.
Some states, however, have specific
guidelines which dictate how long the term of support should be. For example,
states such as Texas and Indiana limit spousal support payments to three years
irrespective of all other factors. So essentially, it does not matter how long
the marriage lasted for, but the spousal support payments will need to be made
for three years at the most.
Divorce lawyers also confirm that in
some cases, it is also possible that the receiving spouse may receive more than
one form of spousal support at the same time. For example, a spouse could receive
both rehabilitative support and short term support. Rehabilitative support is
where a spouse who has been out of the work force for a considerable time is
paid by the supporting spouse for a defined period of time until when the
receiving spouse is employed once again.
This is sort of what happened in the
wonderful show The Good Wife with Julianna Margulies who plays the marvelous,
but flawed, character Alicia Florrick. She was a housewife while her husband
was the breadwinner. But when her husband was fired for being a corrupt
Democrat in Chicago and sent to prison, she had to hop back into the work
force. She had two kids too!
Now they did not get divorced until
years later, they were able to avoid the ongoing support payments since pretty
much both of them had jobs.
If you need legal help though, do not
hesitate to call up a divorce lawyer. Click on one of the links above or below.
Legal help is right around the virtual corner.
Short term support
Short term support is generally awarded
if and when the marriage was short lived. When it comes to short term support,
divorce lawyers confirm that it only lasts a few years and the ending date is
also set in the court order.
Long term support
For marriages that lasted longer
durations and marriages where children are involved, long term support is
usually the type of alimony ordered by the family court judge or jury. This is
prescribed if and when the marriage survived more than a decade. Even though it
is called permanent support, it will eventually come to an end in some states
which do not allow for permanent support.
If you need help with
your divorce and to sort out spousal support issues, all you need is
to reach out to a divorce lawyer ASAP. This is the best way to protect your
rights and receive a fair settlement.
Any questions? Contact us. We will
probably call you back that same day.
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