Family Law Attorneys Seeking Spousal Support For Your Case
Spousal support is financial support that is paid from one spouse to another for future support after a marriage is over. The spouse determined more financially stable pays financial support so that the standard of living continues after the divorce is finalized. Spousal support can be permanent or only paid for a limited number of years or months.
What Is the Difference Between Spousal Support and Alimony?
Alimony is the older of the two terms. The more modern term is spousal support or spousal maintenance. In the past 20 years, alimony legislation has undergone major reforms, for example; expanding the list of factors which the court must consider in awarding support. Courts are also required to make findings explaining the reasoning behind its award and encouraging courts to base their support awards more upon the facts of the case and less upon broad assumptions. The term “spousal support” or “spousal maintenance” has come to emphasize the new nature of alimony.
Will Your Divorce Settlement Include Spousal Support?
You might be entitled to spousal support if you have been a homemaker or stay-at-home parent and your spouse provided financial support. A court must find one spouse “dependent” in order to award alimony. If you believe you are entitled to spousal support, be sure to contact Greenville, NC Family Law Attorneys at Irons & Irons P.A today.
How Is Spousal Support Determined?
There is no calculator to determine how much spousal support should be paid. A specific list of factors must be addressed to determine maintenance:
- Financial need of the spouse seeking maintenance
- Time necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the spouse seeking maintenance to find employment, given his or her skills and age
- The standard of living during the marriage
- The length of the marriage
- Age, physical and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance
- Loss of earnings, retirement benefits, seniority and other employment opportunities foregone by spouse seeking maintenance
- Ability of spouse providing maintenance’s to meet his or her own needs while meeting needs of spouse seeking maintenance
What Are the Types of Spousal Support in North Carolina?
There are two types of spousal support that you may receive in North Carolina including:
- Post-Separation Support: This is temporary support awarded before the alimony is awarded.
- Alimony: This support is awarded to enable the dependent to retain his or her standard of living. It is based upon the relative needs of the parties and the supporting spouse’s ability to pay support.
How Can a Family Law Attorney Help?
Since spousal support may entail large sums of money or the transfer of substantial wealth, legal representation is a good idea in order to protect your investments and your future. The Attorneys at Irons & Irons P.A. can help you negotiate your settlement amount and guide you through a lawsuit if your partner refuses to pay the prearranged amount.
Irons & Irons, P.A. Family Attorneys in Pitt County Can Get You the Spousal Support You Deserve!
If you think you deserve spousal support or wish to work on the amount of spousal support you are receiving or paying please contact us today. Irons & Irons P.A. is committed to helping individuals obtain the alimony agreement they are seeking while avoiding the hurdles of traditional divorce. To schedule an initial consultation please call Attorney Gib Irons, at 252-215-3000. Protecting your Privacy ~ Your privacy is our primary concern. At Irons & Irons, we understand the importance of protecting your privacy and will never share your contact information with a 3rd party.
