(801) 254-9450 Spousal support, sometimes known as alimony, is financial support from one spouse to another after divorce. It exists to help one spouse maintain financial stability when divorce could cause temporary or long-term financial hardship. Unlike child support, not all divorce cases guarantee alimony, and it will depend on the specific facts of your case.
Understanding when alimony applies and how to pursue optimal assistance are among the benefits of a South Jordan spousal support lawyer with experience in this area. Whether you are seeking temporary spousal support as a divorce proceeds or need long-term aid, an alimony attorney at Carr | Woodall could help.
Courts do not award spousal support in all divorce cases. To determine when spousal support is appropriate, courts can consider several factors. Courts look at the needs of the spouse requesting alimony, along with the other spouse’s income and ability to pay. Child support is not relevant to a court’s decision on alimony.
Some factors that Utah courts consider for spousal support under Utah Code § 81-4-5 include:
Alimony is often a highly contested issue in South Jordan divorce cases, and proceeding with a knowledgeable attorney benefits you and helps you avoid costly mistakes. Whether you are seeking alimony or trying to minimize your spousal support obligation, we could provide critical legal guidance.
Spousal support can be temporary or long-term. Longer marriages are more likely to involve long-term support, while shorter marriages more often involve short-term alimony. Temporary support focuses on helping one spouse through the divorce process, while rehabilitative spousal support can help a recipient become self-sufficient. One benefit to having an alimony attorney is our ability to help you determine which type of support applies in your divorce.
Another type of alimony is permanent spousal support. This does not end unless certain circumstances occur, including the recipient spouse remarrying or cohabiting with a romantic partner, or the recipient spouse passing away. To end spousal support due to cohabitation with a partner, the paying spouse must show the court evidence of a romantic relationship and a shared residence.
Additionally, you can modify spousal support under state law when there is a substantial change in circumstances that you did not anticipate when you entered the original support order. For example, when a paying spouse becomes disabled or retires, the court could consider these events to be material and substantial changes. A short-term illness or temporary loss of employment, meanwhile, would not trigger modification of alimony in Utah.
Spousal support involves several key factors and requirements that you must meet under state law. An alimony lawyer could help you either pursue or reduce spousal support payments based on your situation. To better understand the benefits of a South Jordan spousal support lawyer, contact the legal team at Carr | Woodall today.