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If you are filing for divorce, one of the top questions and concerns you will likely have are in regards to how much alimony you can expect. “Spousal support” is another term for alimony. This is money paid by one spouse to the other. It is due to the payee spouse’s loss of the benefit of the payor spouse’s income in the case of divorce. In non-legalese, this means that if June was living off of her husband Jon’s income and they got a divorce, Jon might owe June alimony as part of the divorce settlement.
You can receive support from your spouse if the court orders it during the pendency or process of the divorce procedure before the divorce is final. This support can only last the time necessary for the court to prosecute the divorce action.
When determining exactly how much alimony to award a spouse, courts in the state of Georgia consider the following factors:
- Both spouses’ individual contributions to the marital assets
- How many years the couple has been married
- Each spouse’s financial situation
- Standard of living each spouse enjoyed during the marriage
- Age and health of each spouse
- Value of any property each spouse may possess
- Each spouse’s ability to earn an income
- Each spouse’s debt
- The length of time it will take each parties to gain enough education to obtain gainful employment.
In the case of alimony, there are three different types of alimony the court may order depending on the situation. These categories include:
Permanent Alimony
Permanent alimony payments continue until the recipient dies or marries again. This alimony can take on different forms of payment; one being actual dollars and cents. Another form of alimony payment is where one spouse pays for the house. This type makes it so the other party doesn’t have a house payment.
Rehabilitative Alimony
The court commonly awards this type of alimony when a spouse needs time in order to work toward being financially independent. For example, if a spouse has been out of the workforce caring for children for years, the court may order the other spouse to pay rehabilitation alimony. This helps the spouse get the education necessary to get a good job.
Periodic Alimony
The spouse usually pays out this type of alimony monthly or biweekly. And, it can last as long as the court orders. In Georgia, the court will retain the ability to modify the award if financial circumstances change for the spouse recipient.
Whatever the type of alimony you qualify for, it’s important to understand that most courts will not allow a spouse to receive alimony if it is determined the cause of separation was due to that spouse’s adultery or desertion.
If you need to learn more information about filing for divorce and what you can expect from alimony, Reeder Law Firm is here to answer your questions and walk you through the process whatever that looks like for your unique situation. Contact our Cumming Divorce attorneys at Reeder Law firm today for a free consultation and legal assistance when filing for divorce.
