Pursuing Your Spousal Support Goals
Spousal support, also known as alimony or spousal maintenance, is a payment made by one spouse to another during or after divorce in order to allow the receiving spouse to maintain a certain standard of living.
Whether you are seeking spousal support or your spouse is requesting it from you, I can help you pursue an outcome that is in line with your goals. Contact me at my Northern Virginia office in Fairfax or my Lynchburg area office in Forest to discuss your spousal support case.
Nuanced Understanding of Spousal Support Factors
Spousal support, unlike child support, is not calculated based on a formula but is up to the substantial discretion of the family court. Factors the court may consider include the needs of the prospective spousal support recipient, that party's ability to meet those needs and the other party's ability to pay.
An attorney's knowledge of the local courts can play a role in his or her ability to advocate for a client's position. I have practiced for more than 30 years in Virginia and I have the experience to develop effective strategies for my spousal support clients.
In the final divorce decree, spousal support may be granted on a rehabilitative (temporary) basis or permanently. If it is granted permanently, that award can be modified at a later date if the relevant circumstances have changed.
Contact me to get an experienced lawyer who understands how spousal support works in Virginia and how to present your side of the case in court, in negotiations and in enforcement efforts.
Handling Temporary Support During the DivorceIt is fairly common, when spouses begin living separately while the divorce is still pending, for the court to grant one party spousal support on a temporary basis. The legal term for this is alimony pendente lite. At the end of a divorce case, the court will reassess the spousal support award in light of the property division and decide at that time whether to create an ongoing payment obligation. |
