Spousal Maintenance
(Alimony)

Spousal maintenance (or alimony) is a form of continued financial support from one spouse to the other following a divorce.  A spousal maintenance award is occasionally made as part of a divorce order, depending on the circumstances of the parties.  It can be ordered on a temporary or permanent basis.

Temporary spousal maintenance is intended to provide financial assistance as a spouse returns to the work force.  Permanent spousal maintenance is typically only awarded in long-term marriages in which the recipient spouse gave up working through duration of the marriage in order to support the family household.  Permanent maintenance can also be ordered if one spouse will never have the earning capacity to maintain their marital standard of living.

Spousal maintenance is determined by weighing one party’s ability to pay against the other party’s financial need.  A spouse’s need is determined by the standard of living during the marriage, along with the spouse’s ability to self-support after the marriage has ended.

At McCarten Law Firm, we concentrate much of our practice on family law, including determinations of spousal maintenance during and after divorce.  We understand how stressful family law situations can be and we work hard to get the best possible results for our clients.  If you are contemplating a divorce, contact McCarten Law Firm to arrange a consultation with one of our experienced family law attorneys.