One of your main divorce-related concerns may be money and your financial future. The end of a marriage often brings significant changes to the lives of both spouses, and you may fear that you won’t have enough money to support yourself. If you earn less than your spouse, you might be able to ensure financial support through spousal maintenance payments.
Simply going through a divorce is not necessarily enough to claim this type of financial support. Two Arizona spouses have the right to negotiate these payments as part of their final settlement, or a judge may decide to grant one of the parties spousal maintenance. It may be in your interests to learn more about what qualifies a person for this support and how you can fight for a strong and stable post-divorce financial future.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility for spousal support payments depends on financial needs and income as well as various other factors. If you earn significantly less than your spouse and your divorce will cause you strain due to the economic inequity between the two parties, you may be able to get spousal maintenance, also called alimony and spousal support. When making a determination on this issue, the court will look at the following:
- The length of the marriage
- The income of both spouses
- Whether one spouse left his or her job to care for children
- How long it would take the lesser-earning spouse to increase income
- The age and physical abilities of both spouses
- The higher-earning spouse’s ability to make payments
- The standard of living enjoyed by both parties during the marriage
A court may consider these factors and others when deciding whether to grant alimony payments. You can also use these points and other issues unique to your situation when negotiating a fair settlement. When making decisions that will affect your financial future, you will find it beneficial to think long-term and avoid choices based on your temporary emotions.
Experienced guidance counts
There is a lot on the line during your divorce. Your future interests are at stake, and this is why you will find it beneficial to work with an experienced legal ally to ensure you get what you need. Before you agree to a settlement or heading to court, you may want to seek an evaluation of your case to gain a better understanding of the financial support that could be available to you.
