Legal support can be vital when determining spousal support

People who have gotten divorced or are in the process of ending a marriage know that while money isn’t everything, it is often an enormous factor in any divorce. Money can mean security and it can serve as a measure of leveling the playing field when spouses go their separate ways. 

This is why alimony or spousal support can be such a critical issue in California divorces. Depending on whether you are the one seeking support or are trying to avoid or minimize the payments you could be ordered to make, it can be crucial to understand your legal options. 

The first thing that you need to understand is that spousal support is not ordered in every divorce. Unless alimony is addressed in a prenuptial agreement, there is no guarantee that a person will collect or be required to pay spousal support. The courts will typically take nearly a dozen factors into consideration before deciding to approve or deny alimony.

Some factors that will typically increase the chances that alimony will be ordered include substantial earnings by one spouse, a lengthy marriage and/or significant financial and non-financial contributions to the marriage by one or both spouses. Based on these factors, the courts may order spousal support for a certain period of time.

Whether you are the person seeking alimony or the person who may be required to pay it, it can be crucial that you have legal support to protect your best interests. As we mentioned above: money is not everything in a divorce, but it can have an enormous impact on your life after a divorce. 

We can help you understand the alimony rules and guidelines in California, and help you fight to protect your financial future. For information on our firm and our services, we encourage you to visit our website and check out or page on spousal support orders.