You or your spouse may be ordered to pay alimony if you’re getting a divorce in California. If you can’t come to a mutually satisfactory agreement regarding the topic of spousal support, a court will resolve this matter for you.
To ensure your rights are protected, hire a lawyer with the experience and qualifications necessary to represent you throughout your divorce proceedings. At the Law Offices of Teres A. Beyers, a Glendale alimony attorney may serve as your voice when the court addresses spousal support.
Types of Alimony in Glendale, California
Alimony comes in several forms in California. They include the following:
Temporary Spousal Support
Someone who earns significantly less than their spouse may need financial assistance covering their day-to-day expenses before a divorce is finalized. Thus, while a divorce is still being resolved, one spouse may be ordered to pay temporary alimony to another.
Rehabilitative Spousal Support
This is the most common type of spousal support one may be required to pay in California. The purpose of rehabilitative spousal support is to ensure someone who earned less than their ex-spouse is financially stable while they work towards becoming financially self-sufficient.
A judge will determine how long this type of support should last. Rehabilitative spousal support payments might also become unnecessary if the spouse receiving them gets married or their income increases.
Permanent Spousal Support
This type of alimony is rare. Permanent spousal support orders are typically only issued when a marriage lasted at least a decade. Other factors that may influence a judge’s decision to order permanent spousal support may include health or age issues which might prevent one spouse from entering the workforce.
Reimbursement Support
Some spouses make sacrifices with the reasonable expectation that they will eventually be rewarded for doing so. For example, one spouse might support the other while they complete law school, knowing they will benefit financially when their spouse eventually becomes an attorney.
If spouses divorce, the court might order the spouse who received this type of support to pay alimony to the spouse who provided it.
How a Glendale Spousal Support Attorney Can Assist You
A court will account for numerous factors when determining:
- Whether a spousal support order is necessary
- Who should pay spousal support
- How much spousal support should be paid
- What type of spousal support is appropriate
- How long spousal support should last
Factors the court will consider include:
- The length of a marriage
- Income differences between both spouses
- Each spouse’s education, training, and overall earning capacity/employment prospects
- The age and health of each spouse
- The standard of living to which each spouse has grown accustomed
- Sacrifices either spouse made to support the other
These are complex matters. To ensure the court makes a decision that’s appropriate and fair, you need to be confident you have an advocate on your side who understands the nuances of spousal support in California.
That’s precisely what we offer at the Law Offices of Teresa A. Beyers. To learn more about what a Glendale spousal support attorney can do for you, contact us online or call us at 213-236-4400.