Georgia Spousal Support
Going through a divorce is a painful and emotionally draining process. For some, it can also be a financially draining process, especially if you relied on your spouse for financial income. With a divorce on the horizon, your mind is racing wondering where you’ll find more income to maintain the lifestyle you’ve set for yourself during your marriage. At the The Carolyn Karettis Law Office, we have an experienced divorce legal team that can assist you in this process.
You’ve probably heard the word alimony used before, but today the courts recognize spousal support as the more common term. In essence, they both mean the same thing – one spouse supplying the other with a specified amount of income.
While many states do not require spousal support in every divorce case, your lawyer can bring it to the attention of the presiding judge. After reviewing your case, he or she may then determine that spousal support is necessary. It will be the job of the judge to determine whether or not one spouse relied on the other for financial support. Under the law, one spouse should not be made to suffer financial hardship as the result of a divorce and has the right to maintain the standard of living they are used to.
Depending on your case, it may be determined that spousal support is received either until a certain date, upon the remarriage or death of the spouse or for an unspecified amount of time. Sometimes, each spouse will agree on the terms of spousal support instead of battling it out in court.
If you have children, child support is always considered before spousal support. And unlike child support, there is no predetermined amount. There have been cases where one spouse offers the other financial support, but it is waived by the recipient in writing.
In many cases, judges won’t consider spousal support if both parties have maintained their own income now and throughout the marriage and are able to support themselves. And if your marriage did not last a certain amount of time (usually at least two years), the judge will not consider spousal support.
Family Law and Divorce Lawyer
Carolyn Karettis, Esq
Toll Free: 1-800-442-2291
