Do you have concerns about what your divorce will do to your financial future? If so, you are not alone. Many people in Kentucky have serious concerns about how the end of their marriages will ultimately impact their long-term well-being and financial security. This may be especially true if you are the lesser-earning spouse.
Perhaps you gave up your career to take care of your children, or maybe you work full time and simply earn less than your spouse. Regardless, you may have depended on your spouse’s income each month. Divorce may mean the end of this, which could spell trouble for you unless you can secure spousal support. Before you move forward, you may want to learn more about how alimony works and which factors determine whether or not you will get it.
How does the court decide?
There are several factors that will determine whether a person will be able to get spousal support. It is possible that you and your spouse can work on a satisfactory arrangement that will allow you to settle this issue without going to court. However, if an agreement is not possible, you may want to know what the court will look at when deciding on spousal support and the amount of these payments. Factors considered include:
- Your age and the age of your spouse
- Your spouse’s ability to pay support
- How long you’ve been out of the workforce
- Whether you will need to find a job or go to school
- Whether you will need to find a higher-paying job
- How long you may need to regain financial independence
The court will also consider things like whether you have young kids, whether you are physically capable of working and various other factors. Spousal support payments may not last for the rest of your life. The court may only grant these to you for a limited amount of time, but long enough for you to recover and move forward after your divorce is final.
You have the right to fight for the support you think you need and deserve. This is a sensitive issue, and your spouse may not be willing to budge on the matter. You and your lawyer can petition the court for a specific amount or duration of payments, and present evidence to validate your claim to alimony.
