Will Alimony be a Part of Your Divorce?
At my law office in Dongan Hills, Staten Island, New York, I help my clients negotiate all issues of divorce, including whether or not there is an obligation to pay maintenance which used to be called alimony.
What Is Spousal Support?
Pendente Lite maintenance support is designed to provide emergency assistance to the spouse who remains in the marital residence while the divorce is in process. An obligation to pay spousal support usually arises because one party has either moved out of the marital residence or has stopped paying bills, such as mortgage payments while living in the house.
You should never move out of the marital residence without seeking a lawyer's advice about how it could affect your divorce.
What is Spousal Maintenance?
Spousal maintenance is an award at the conclusion of the divorce action. It is typically paid in longer-term marriages where there is a significant difference in earnings between the two parties. There is no formula the court follows in determining whether to award maintenance or how long it should continue. Instead, there are factors the court will consider, such the length of the marriage, the difference in earnings between the two parties, whether one party stayed home to care for children, and the spouse's ability to be self-supporting.
Lifetime spousal maintenance is extremely hard to get in New York. Maintenance is usually provided for a period of time to help you develop the skills to become self sufficient.
Spousal maintenance is taxable to the person receiving it and tax-deductible to the person paying it.
To schedule an attorney consultation to discuss alimony: Call 718-351-3748 or fill out the contact form on this Web site. My law office is located on 94 Hancock Street in Dongan Hills, Staten Island, New York
