Dissolving a marriage is never easy, especially when you and your former partner cannot agree on how to go about the split. In many situations, a judge might grant an alimony award to one party, which helps make the split equitable. If you are pursuing spousal support payments or seeking to get out of alimony obligations in Clarksville, MD, you should discuss your legal options with a spousal support lawyer.
If you’re going through the process of a divorce, a judge might mandate spousal support for a brief period of time or an indefinite period. All this depends on the needs of the involved parties, their finances, and what will make the split fair for everyone involved in the eyes of a neutral third party.
You might have a judge issue rehabilitative spousal support if one person from the marriage needs time to get financially adjusted to the split. For example, if you made a great deal more money than your partner, you might find yourself facing mandatory rehabilitative alimony payments that last until your former spouse is able to adjust their income. Sometimes, judges also require that one of the people from the marriage make indefinite alimony payments. These have no set end date. For instance, if your former spouse has a physical disability that prevents them from becoming self-sufficient, you might be looking at indefinite alimony payments so that they can have enough money to meet their former standard of living.
The judge who makes decisions about alimony payments during your divorce will take a long list of factors into account when determining who makes what payments and for how long. For instance, all the factors on the following list will be analyzed by the judge when making their decision:
The court will take all these factors into account when determining spousal support in your divorce, but they also might look at more details. Every divorce is different, so the payments you can expect to face will be based entirely on your own history. In addition to alimony, you might also deal with disputes over child support if you and the partner you are splitting from share custody of children. A knowledgeable family lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and stand up for you in the stressful event of an intense child custody battle.
There is no set period of time that you have to be married in Maryland to receive alimony payments. However, courts in Maryland often award 1 year of alimony for every three years of marriage. This means that, the longer that you’ve been married, the more alimony you will likely receive. Consulting with a lawyer is a good way to determine what you can expect in alimony payments given your unique marital situation.
Judges in Maryland might award indefinite alimony, depending on the circumstances. For instance, if you financially supported both yourself and your spouse during your marriage, and this allowed your partner to pursue higher education, you might be entitled to indefinite alimony. However, alimony awards are context-specific, and consulting with a legal professional can help you understand how your personal history and your current needs will shape your experience with alimony.
Alimony is another word for spousal support. The term refers to payments that one spouse makes to another spouse after they dissolve their marriage. If you think that you are entitled to financial support from your former spouse, you can request financial support from the court. A judge might also award you or your former spouse’s alimony payments in a contested divorce, even if neither of you requested it.
A judge will look at a whole host of factors when determining your spousal support in Maryland. For instance, the judge will reflect on how long you were married, what your financial situation is compared with your former partners’ situation, and even why you are getting divorced. A family law attorney can help you get a better idea of the kind of alimony that may be involved in your situation.
The length of time that you will have to pay spousal support in Maryland will depend on your personal situation. For example, the amount of time that you were married to your partner will likely be a factor in deciding how long you will have to make payments. Other factors, like who contributed financially during the marriage and if one person is older or has any health conditions will also influence the length of the payments.
Sometimes, securing spousal support can be a smooth process, but other times, it can exacerbate emotional tension. Whether you want to get out of making alimony payments or are struggling with collecting them, our team of fierce, supportive lawyers at the Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, PA, is here for you. We can listen to your needs and questions, examine your situation, provide tailored guidance, and stand up for you in a legal dispute. Contact us today to get started.
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