Family Lawyer
Every alimony lawyer has been asked at one time or another if husbands can qualify to receive alimony from their wives after the marriage ends. In fact, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that it is unconstitutional for qualifying husbands to be discriminated against in this way and they should be treated the same as wives who qualify for alimony. If you believe you deserve to receive alimony (also referred to as spousal support or spousal maintenance) from your wife, learn how an attorney may be able to help you.
What is alimony?
Alimony is financial support provided by one spouse to the other after the dissolution of the marriage. Historically, spousal support was paid by the man to the woman. Nowadays, the determination of who should pay who is not gender based. There is also no guarantee that either spouse will qualify for alimony. In fact, the purpose of alimony is to enable the qualifying spouse to use the financial support in order to better their situation, such as to pay for schooling to get a good job. Alimony is not intended to be a permanent arrangement.
Determining the Amount of Alimony Payments
An alimony lawyer can review your circumstances to determine an estimate or range of what you can expect to receive for payments. Ultimately, it will be up to the court to decide if you are eligible and how much the payments might be and for how long they will last. Generally speaking, a judge will consider the following factors when making those decisions:
- The number of years (or months) that the marriage lasted. The longer the marriage, the more likely a judge will rule that the lesser earning spouse can receive spousal support.
- The financial health of both spouses. (If each spouse earns a similar amount of income, then neither spouse may qualify for alimony.)
- Financial and other types of contributions that each spouse provided while in the marriage.
- The current financial need of each spouse. (This can include jointly owned debt.)
- The expected financial need of each spouse. (This can include anticipated tuition and related expenses to return to school in preparation for joining the workforce to increase one’s income.)
- The amount of alimony that the lesser earning spouse might need to continue enjoying the lifestyle they enjoyed during the marriage.
Contact an Experienced Alimony Lawyer Who Can Help You
If you have questions or concerns about the possibility of receiving spousal support, contact a spousal support attorney offers who can determine if you are likely eligible for alimony, and if so, they can protect your rights and represent you in court. The divorce process is stressful and the uncertainty of your financial future can make it even more difficult.
