Spousal support may be the most important aspect of many divorces, however, it can also be one of the most difficult and contentious parts of a divorce. There may be a tension between one spouse not wanting to provide long-term or permanent spousal support and the other spouse believing they should receive the most support for as long as possible. The interests of the spouses must be balanced to reach a fair solution.
Removing emotions as much as possible from divorce-related decisions can help avoid disputes, such as those associated with spousal support. It is important to be familiar with the process of determining spousal support to help it be as amicable as possible. Divorcing couples may have questions, such as how much spousal support will be and how long spousal support will last.
To determine spousal support, including the amount and duration, the court will consider the marital lifestyle of the couple in an attempt to maintain the same standard of living that the recipient spouse enjoyed during the marriage. In addition, the court will evaluate the ability of the paying spouse to make spousal support payments, as well as the needs of the recipient spouse. Lastly, the court will consider the length of the marriage. A recipient spouse married for a longer period of time will generally receive spousal support for a longer period of time.
Spousal support can be difficult to agree on and difficult to determine, but the legal process is available to help guide couples and serve as a resource for them. Many options exists, including alternative dispute resolution, to help couples resolve important divorce-related concerns, such as spousal support.
