Going through a divorce in Georgia means that there is a massive change coming into your life. You will have to deal with many things, including child custody, etc. However, many people have questions about spousal support in their minds.
So, what is spousal support, and do you fall under the eligibility criteria? We will discuss all there us to know about in this article. Let’s begin by understanding what spousal support is after divorce in Georgia.
Spousal Support: What is it?
Most of the states throughout the US categorize spousal support as payments from one spouse to another. It is a financial award that can be temporarily for the course when the divorce is pending. Also, it can become a permanent award, and the judge can add it to the decree from the divorce in Georgia.
Purpose of Spousal Support:
Spousal support is also known as alimony payments. They are in place to split the financial resources in between a married couple due to their divorce in Georgia. The judge will evaluate if one partner has the financial capabilities to fulfill the needs of the other spouse’s requirements.
In addition, spousal support serves the purpose of:
- Enabling a spouse to get into a better position financially
- Compensate the spouse if they are not strong financially due to their marriage; for example, if one partner was not working to take care of the kids
- Maintain the same lifestyle for children
- Preventing a partner from going through any financial hardship because of their divorce
Spousal support is given in divorce cases when one of the spouses does not have the same earning power, and they are married to each other for quite some time.
Many states require couples to be in a marriage for a set time. The judge will not award spousal support for a couple whose marriage lasted for only 12 months.
Qualifications for Spousal Support; Consulting a Divorce Attorney in Albany:
If you want to find out whether you qualify for supposal support, it is better to discuss your case with a reliable divorce attorney in Albany, Georgia. The lawyer can consider all aspects and give you an accurate suggestion regarding your alimony.
Nevertheless, to give you a brief idea, a person can be eligible for spousal support/alimony if they are either:
- In a marriage
- Their marriage lasted for 36 months at a minimum
- The couple was in a relationship of some permanence for some time, and they have children or a child together
If you fulfill any of the terms, you are entitled to receive alimony, but you have to show any one of the following:
- There were some responsibilities that you were fulfilling during your marriage, for instance, helping your partner to build their career or raising your children. As a result, you could not focus on building your career.
- The operations are pushing you into the need of financial support, and your ex has the earnings and the net worth to pay for your support.
- You have an agreement that gives you the right to receive alimony upon your divorce.
In addition to this, the court can consider other aspects as well, such as your age, mental conditions, and the support you need for your childcare.
How is The Amount for Spousal Support Calculated?
The Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act, which the majority of the states consider when making a judgment regarding spousal support, gives guidelines for calculating the alimony amount. The process of determining alimony is different from calculating child support.
Child support has certain monetary guidelines making it easy to calculate it. However, in the case of granting alimony, the court has a more comprehensive choice. The courts have to evaluate vital aspects for deciding spousal support awards. The aspects include:
- The capacity of the payer to bear the alimony that they have to pay to the recipient and still have enough income to support themselves
- The duration for which the recipient can get the necessary training or skills to be able to cater and take care of their expenditure
- The duration of the marriage
- The mental, physical, monetary, and emotional of the couple
- The standard of living that the couple maintained throughout their marriage
Hire the Most Trusted Divorce Lawyers in Albany, GA:
Having a reliable and trustworthy Albany, GA divorce lawyer by your side can help you guide you regarding your marriage.
It is why the law offices of Joe Durham Jr., P.C. gives you complete guidance regarding your divorce case and alimony. Speak to one of our experts by giving us a call.
