Financial Support During or After Divorce
A separation or divorce often creates an imbalance in the income and standard of living of the two spouses. Alimony is financial support paid by one spouse to the other to equalize things. It may be awarded as temporary relief during divorce, for an interim period after divorce or on a permanent basis.
Alimony can be a very substantial but unpredictable factor in your Maryland divorce. Judges have considerable discretion in awarding alimony, including the amount and duration. Your best bet is to hire an experienced divorce lawyer like David Nowak who can isolate the key factors and project how alimony may apply in your specific case. He will help you consider alimony in the broader picture of your divorce settlement and help you decide whether you should take your chances in court or negotiate alimony separately.
Will There Be Alimony in Your Maryland Divorce?
The Law Office of David D. Nowak, LLC, represents both men and women in divorce, serving Baltimore City, Baltimore County and surrounding counties of northern Maryland. We have argued against alimony on behalf of high earners, and we have argued for alimony on behalf of economically disadvantaged spouses.
Either party can ask for alimony, also known as spousal support, if they require financial assistance after divorce. There are three types of alimony, each of which has different standards a court would consider:
- Temporary (pendente lite) alimony may be awarded during separation or divorce proceedings to help maintain the status quo until the final divorce hearing.
- Rehabilitative alimony may be awarded to allow a lesser-earning spouse to achieve the income level where he or she would have been if not for sacrifices in the marriage. For example, a spouse who deferred college or a career to raise the children might receive alimony while going back to school to earn a degree.
- Permanent alimony may be awarded in longer marriages, especially when a spouse is sick, disabled or otherwise unable to become self-supporting.
The court considers many factors, including substantial income disparity, length of the marriage, children and child-rearing duties, health, age, education, earning capacity and the accustomed standard of living.
However, because of the court's considerable leeway, it is sometimes more prudent to negotiate alimony out of court. Attorney David Nowak has the legal knowledge, trial experience and the financial background to advocate effectively for you in or out of court.
Contact us to discuss your situation with Towson alimony attorney David Nowak in a free phone consultation. We can arrange evening or weekend appointments.
Call a Baltimore City Spousal Support Attorney at 443-470-9071
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