3 Tips For Women Seeking Spousal Support

Getting a divorce is a major shock, leading to both emotional and financial upheaval. If your husband was the primary breadwinner, you are most likely experiencing anxiety about money and how you will survive on one income. This is especially true if you have been away from the workforce, only working part-time, or home with your children. This situation is what spousal support, also known as alimony, is designed for. Here are a few tips for navigating the spousal support system.

Understand How Alimony Works

Spousal support is designed to help the spouse who earned less money to transition to single life without undue hardship. It is designed to make things fair.

For example, if your husband has a high-paying job, and you sacrificed your career to take care of the home and children, many courts see it as unfair for you to struggle financially in the year or two after your divorce. Instead, your ex-spouse will pay a set amount of money each month to ensure your comfort and security.

Spousal support is separate from child support, which is designated specifically to help pay for child-related expenses. Spousal support typically only lasts a couple of years, while child support lasts until the child is a legal adult.

Research Alimony in Your State

The laws regarding spousal support vary by state, so you will want to spend time researching the laws where you live. In most states, a calculation is used to determine how much monthly spousal support you are entitled to.

A major factor that influences the calculation is the length of time you were married. The spousal support amount is usually a percentage of your former spouse's income.

Hire a Family Law Attorney

To ensure you receive a fair amount of spousal support, you need to hire an experienced family law attorney, especially one with expertise in alimony law. They will do everything they can to make sure your rights and needs are represented and fought for. They will also work with your ex's attorney to create a divorce agreement that includes the amount of alimony you will be paid, any contingencies, and the length of time the support will be in place.

Working with an alimony lawyer and understanding your rights can help make the spousal support process much easier and help ensure you receive the money you need to live while you navigate your newly single life.