One aspect that comes with many divorces is spousal support—commonly known as alimony, a payment made to a spouse of lesser means during and after a divorce. Not all divorce cases result in a spousal support requirement. However, this issue can be contentious, and you need help from a Thousand Oaks spousal support attorney. At the Law Offices of Ronald K. Stitch, we are ready to ensure you are treated fairly throughout this process.
What is the purpose of spousal support
When married, a couple enjoys a particular lifestyle based on income and other property. Whether or both parties contribute to the assets, they want the benefits. However, a divorce can leave one spouse with significantly fewer means than the other.
That is where spousal support payments come in. They are designed to provide support from the spouse with more means to the spouse of lesser means. Despite popular belief, not all alimony is permanent. There are several types of spousal support, including the following:
- Temporary Alimony: As the name suggests, this is not supposed to be long-term but only for the duration of the divorce process. This type of alimony will transition to a different kind or be halted when the divorce is finalized.
- Rehabilitative Alimony: This is often called transitionary alimony and is used to help one spouse become self-sustaining. For example, this alimony could be used to pay for college classes or vocational lessons. This type of alimony usually only lasts for a specified amount of time.
- Permanent Alimony: This type of spousal maintenance is typically paid monthly to the spouse of lesser means and endures until the receiving spouse remarries or when one spouse dies.
- Lump-sum alimony refers to a larger one-time payment that could be made instead of monthly permanent payments.
How is the support payment amount determined
The court will look at various factors when determining how much a spouse of lesser means should receive in support payments. This could include:
- How long did the marriage last (longer marriages tend to involve more instances of permanent alimony)?
- How much education does each spouse have, and what is their ability to find work?
- The current financial and living situation of both spouses.
- The lifestyle that both parties were accustomed to during the marriage.
Let us get you through this today
Spousal support is often required in a California divorce case. Whether you should be receiving spousal support or making these payments, you deserve to be treated fairly. At the Law Offices of Ronald K. Stitch, you can count on our family law specialists to help you navigate this process. Our Thousand Oaks, spousal support attorneys, will thoroughly analyze your case and get to work on your behalf. We can also handle every other aspect of your divorce so you can focus on rebuilding your life. You can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 818-707-0202.
