The stresses of going through a divorce can make anyone’s head spin. There are many elements that must be considered be navigating and understanding them all can be difficult during such an emotionally stressful time. One such element that may be of concern is alimony, and understanding the basics can help formulate a strong plan of action moving forward.
At its core, alimony is meant to assist in the economic gap that may occur for one spouse due to loss of income stemming from the divorce. If a spouse decides to focus their energy on the family instead of a career, a divorce can sometimes be a crippling blow to their finances. Alimony helps in these situations, but unlike child support, there is no set formula or set of criteria for determining alimony amount.
Sometimes, factors to determine alimony payments can include age and location of the spouse, the financial status of the spouse, the standard of living that was maintained during the marriage and more. The ability of the paying spouse to maintain support payments while also being financially stable also can come into play.
This only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to alimony payments, as there is much to be examined and considered before a decision is made. An attorney familiar and experienced with such cases may be able to help an individual understand the process more clearly and, depending on the situation, reach a optimal outcome to allow the person to carry on comfortably through the stress.
Source: Findlaw, “Spousal Support (Alimony) Basics,” Accessed Feb. 12, 2015