Alimony, also called spousal support or spousal maintenance, is a useful tool for thousands of Arizona men and women who require short or long term financial assistance during or after marriage. An attorney can help you receive the monthly amount that you need to get through the next few months of divorce, pay for going back to school, or help you continue to live the lifestyle that you grew accustomed to during marriage. Or, if you are the higher earning spouse, an attorney can provide assistance by protecting your assets and making sure that spousal support does not put you in the red.
Temporary or Rehabilitative Spousal Maintenance
The most common type of spousal maintenance is temporary, or rehabilitative. Payments may only occur during the duration of the divorce process, or they may be extended past the divorce for a period of months or years. Often, it becomes necessary for the lower earning spouse to go back to school or spend time and resources reinvesting in the job skills or education. They may have given up their career in order to support their spouse, and rehabilitative maintenance is a way to allow them to get back on their feet after the marriage has ended.
Compensatory Maintenance
If the lower earning spouse contributed to the education, vocational training, job skills, or career of the other spouse, they may be entitled to compensatory compensation.
Permanent Maintenance
In some instances, permanent maintenance is appropriate. This is usually the case when the lower earning spouse does not have the physical means to support themselves due to old age, or the financial situation of the two spouses is vast. Maintenance, as per Arizona statute 25-319, is determined based off of the following criteria, among others:
- Length of marriage;
- Standard of living during marriage;
- Age, employment status, ability of lower earning spouse;
- Comparative finances of each spouse; and
- Ability of higher earning spouse to pay
Contact the Phoenix Family Law Offices of Ronald L. Kossack Today
According to the Census and ABC News, 21 percent of recently divorced women were living below the poverty line, compared to just nine percent of recently divorced men. Whether you are the higher or lower earning spouse, it is important to have a strong grasp on what alimony is, the various types of support there are, and what that support is meant to help accomplish. Contact the Phoenix alimony attorneys at the Law Office of Ronald L. Kossack for assistance with your divorce today. We are eager to assist you throughout each step of the process.