If you are contemplating a divorce, spousal support may very well be an issue in your case. Whether you are the person who is seeking needed support or the one that may end up being ordered to pay, you most likely have questions regarding how the issue will be decided. Judges rely on formulas to hand down spousal support orders, and unfortunately, the resulting orders do not always reflect the situations of the people who are subject to them.
You may want to consider attempting to reach an agreement through alternative dispute resolution, such as collaborative law or mediation. If you and your spouse are able to come to an accord, the result may be one that better reflects the realities of your situation. Your agreement may also differ from the guidelines courts normally follow if necessary.
You will need to consider the relative earnings of both yourself and your spouse, the potential hardships faced by each, the contributions each spouse made to the household during the marriage and the tax consequences. Other considerations include the potential for self-sufficiency, the age and health of you and your spouse and the financial debts and assets of each of you. You may agree to spousal support for a set duration or for a long period of time.
Our experienced attorneys regularly help our clients reach agreements regarding spousal support that better reflect their individual situations. Some of our clients are people that are seeking the support, while others are people that may expect to pay. In all cases, we work to reach agreements that are in the best interests of our clients. Many times, we are able to negotiate successfully, while in other cases, we advocate for our clients in court. If you have questions, you may want to review our spousal maintenance page.