When a divorce occurs, the payment of alimony by one spouse to the other is often required. Alimony or spousal support used to be collected by the wife, but nowadays it can be collected by either the husband or the wife. I, Torrence L. Howell, have quite a bit of experience working with divorcing couples who need to determine alimony amounts. The main determinant is the financial circumstances of each of the two parties at the time of the divorce. There are a number of different factors that determine the actual amount of spousal support that must be paid.
Some Factors Determining Alimony Amounts
- Individual contribution of each spouse to the marriage, including financial as well as child care and homemaking contributions
- Length of the marriage
- Emotional and physical condition of both the husband and the wife
- Individual financial resources including all non-marital assets as well as all marital assets
- Standard of living that the married couple had during the marriage
- Individual ages of the husband and wife
Permanent Alimony
Based on these and other factors, there may be different type of alimony that may be awarded. Permanent alimony is usually awarded as a monthly payment that assists the other spouse in maintaining the same standard of living that was enjoyed during the marriage. This type of alimony is usually awarded in long-term marriages that have lasted about fifteen years or more where the spouse receiving the money cannot feasibly maintain the same standard of living without the payment. This is the kind of alimony that most people know about and must be considered carefully. I can help you work through the legal issues relating to permanent alimony.
Other Alimony Types
Other types of alimony include rehabilitative alimony which is awarded on a temporary basis while the dependent spouse brings his or her skills up to where they can get a job that will allow them to be at the same level of income they were used to. Transitional alimony is usually a one-time payment to help the ex-spouse adjust to the new circumstances, whether it covers a move or other costs. Temporary alimony can be awarded until a longer-lasting arrangement can be reached. As you can see, the type of alimony awarded, if any, is dependent on many factors that must be carefully understood.
I can help you arrive at alimony arrangements that are fair and equitable. If you are going through a divorce and have questions about alimony, call the Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell today for a free initial consultation.
