Spousal support, also known as alimony or family support, is designed to help a former spouse maintain their lifestyle during and after the divorce. This becomes especially important when one spouse was the primary earner during marriage, or there is unequal access to financial resources. Spousal support can look widely different case to case, requiring careful consideration of the facts specific to your situation.
Having a dedicated attorney walk you through the process of paying or collecting spousal support can help to ensure a reasonable and fair support agreement is put in place. Our goal is to secure agreements that allow our clients to have the resources needed to maintain their standard of living following a divorce, as the payor or payee.
In a divorce, the court is not required to issue spousal support. When it is considered or requested, the court will examine a wide range of factors. These factors can include, but are not limited to, the length of the marriage, the needs for a basic standard of living, if one spouse contributed to the professional career of the other spouse, whether domestic violence was an issue in the marriage, and the earning capacity of both parties.
The types of spousal support in California include:
For a spouse receiving support, our team works to ensure support is paid properly and paid on time, that all income subject to spousal support is included in the calculation, and that our clients can afford to have a life separate from their ex-spouse. For the paying spouse, F&R Law Group ensures support is calculated correctly, that an unemployed recipient-spouse seeks employment and income when appropriate, and that the outcome is fair.
Our attorneys can also assist clients wanting to modify a current spousal support arrangement. We are dedicated to providing legal solutions that are individualized to meet our clients' specific needs, whether they need increased spousal support or want to prevent their ex-spouse from taking advantage of their financial position.