Citronelle Alimony Lawyers

Making a marriage work involves sacrifice. Sometimes, despite sacrifice on the part of both parties, it just isn’t meant to be. This often leads to significant inequalities when the marriage ends, leaving one party with more than enough to make a life for themselves and one without enough to scrape by.

In these scenarios, alimony is often necessary. Whether you are the party who will likely receive or pay spousal support in your divorce you have questions—and we have answers. At Coumanis & York, we have handled all types of divorce cases in Mobile, AL. Let us help you through this challenging time—call our office at 251-336-3491 to set up a consultation now.

When is Alimony or Spousal Support Necessary?

Spousal support is not automatic in Alabama—this is a fairly common misconception since Alabama is one of the few states left with fault-based divorce options. However, in many divorces, spousal support isn’t even considered. If both spouses work and bring in enough to support themselves, alimony may not be awarded. This is especially true if both parties’ earning potential is fairly similar.

However, when there is a major difference in earning ability or one spouse doesn’t work at all, spousal support may be necessary. This is most commonly seen in marriages where one partner stays home to raise children and one spouse works. In these situations, the stay-at-home parent has given up years of income and potential career advancement in order to support their working partner. They may need spousal support to tide them over between the end of their marriage and the point at which they are able to provide for themselves.

How Spousal Support is Calculated

There isn’t a cut-and-dry formula used for spousal support like there is for child support. Children are entitled to financial support from their parents, but ex-spouses are not necessarily entitled to financial support from former partners. Instead, spousal support is usually negotiated by the divorcing parties. A number of factors contribute to these final decisions:

• Length of the marriage: The length of the marriage is a big part in determining whether alimony is awarded, as well as how much is awarded. A short-term marriage is far less likely to result in spousal support than a long-term marriage, and a marriage lasting longer than 20 years is more likely to result in permanent spousal support.
• Individual assets: Each party’s individual assets may determine spousal support amounts. For example, if one party was a stay-at-home partner and the other earns $300,000 per year, spousal support may be assumed. That would likely change if the stay-at-home parent also had a $10 million inheritance that was theirs alone.
• The higher-earning spouse’s income: Much depends on the higher-earning spouse’s ability to support two households. Even if one partner was a stay-at-home parent, they may not receive spousal support if the other party doesn’t earn enough to pay for it.
• How marital assets are split: The split of the marital assets plays a role in how well each spouse will be able to support themselves, so it’s also a factor in alimony.
• The custody split: If one party will be providing all or the bulk of child care, this could impact the court’s alimony decisions.
• Each spouse’s age and health: This is crucial since the ability to pay spousal support now doesn’t necessarily mean that an individual will be able to pay in the future. If one party is ill enough to be unable to work or is near retirement age, the alimony award may be affected.
• Contributions to the marriage: Financial and non-financial sacrifices made for the family are relevant in alimony decisions.
• Wrongful behavior by one or both parties: The misuse of marital funds or the destruction of marital property can seriously hurt one spouse when it comes time to determine alimony. Consider, for example, a high-earning partner who used marital assets to pay for a new vehicle and home for their affair partner. This would likely help the betrayed spouse in court.

Terminating or Modifying Alimony

In most cases, alimony is not permanent—the only exception is for marriages lasting more than 20 years. Other than that, alimony generally has a set end date. This should give the lower-earning partner enough time to become self-sufficient. In Alabama, alimony is also terminated if the receiving party remarries or begins living with a romantic partner.

Alimony modification may be necessary if the paying party suffers a health issue, loses their job, or is otherwise unable to continue making ordered payments.

How Coumanis & York Can Help You

We know how stressful these topics and discussions can be for people going through a divorce. The amount of alimony you pay or receive has a huge impact on the quality of life you’ll enjoy after your divorce. The outcome depends a lot on the attorney you choose and their ability to negotiate on your behalf. Our extensive experience in all types of divorce cases makes us the natural choice for your legal needs.

If you are just starting the divorce process, we’re here to advocate for you throughout the entire process. We’ll prove the sacrifices you’ve made for your marriage and argue for a fair alimony decision that gives you what you need for a fresh start.

Perhaps you already have an alimony court order, but you think it needs to be revisited. These decisions are difficult but often necessary. We’ll take a look at your situation, advise you on possible options, and help you with the next steps.

Contact Our Team for Help with Your Family Law Issues

If you’re looking for help with your alimony case in Citronelle, Coumanis & York is your next step. Set up a free consultation with our team now to find out how we can help you protect your financial well-being. Give us a call at 251-336-3121 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a time to talk to our team.