Are You Entitled To Alimony From Your Spouse?

Tampa & Brandon family law attorneys help their clients understand their rights to alimony support 

Alimony, also referred to as spousal support, is the payment of money from one spouse to the other for a period of time following a divorce and is not applicable in all divorce cases. An alimony attorney in Brandon will review your specific circumstances and offer an opinion as to what alimony payments that might be due.

While there are several other conditions that an divorce attorney in Tampa will discuss with you, the length of the marriage is the key factor in determining whether or not one party will be required to pay the other alimony. Any marriage lasting for less than seven years will not legally require either party to pay spousal support to the other. Marriages of over seven years in duration can require alimony payments if there is a discrepancy in income levels between the parties. The party earning the larger sum of money will be required to provide enough support to equal out both parties’ standards of living for an amount of time often equal in duration to the marriage, often permanently for a long-term marriage, or until the party receiving support is able to obtain employment at a higher rate of pay and be self-supporting.

There are a few things to remember about alimony payments. First, the payments are taxable to the recipient. Second, the person paying the support can us the payments made as a tax deduction. And third, unless otherwise agreed to, alimony payments cease if the recipient remarries or dies. Otherwise, payments continue for the scheduled duration. If a change in either parties’ financial situation occurs, an alimony attorney in Brandon can file a motion with the court for a modification of alimony.

It is crucial to provide your alimony attorney in Brandon with accurate income information for both you and your spouse in order to accurately and fairly calculate potential alimony payments. Schedule an appointment with Westchase Law to discuss alimony and other important divorce issues.