Can I Get Permanent Spousal Support, Alimony or Maintenance?
Alimony, also known as spousal maintenance or spousal support, is a payment from the spouse who earns more to the spouse who earns less, so the latter spouse may maintain the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to during the marriage. Long Island courts do not consider whether the higher earning spouse is the husband or wife.
There are multiple types of spousal support that a person can seek throughout their divorce proceedings, including temporary or permanent spousal support. Understanding spousal maintenance laws on Long Island can help you negotiate a fair settlement regardless of whether you stand to pay or receive alimony. Read on to learn what you should know about your spousal support options.
Traditionally, the male spouse was at a considerably greater risk of being ordered to pay spousal or child support following a divorce. However, as responsibilities within the home shift to more equal footing in New York and throughout the United States, courts are starting to compel support from women and mothers who dissolve their marriages.
Here’s what you should know about spousal support on Long Island and how you can get the legal assistance you need for an upcoming divorce or child support hearing. Working with a seasoned divorce attorney as soon as possible is a great way to solidify your chances of a successful outcome.
Will I Pay More Alimony If My Spouse Has a Disability?
If you live on Long Island and are divorcing a spouse that has a disability, you may have questions about whether you will be required to pay more alimony or make payments for an extended period of time following your divorce.
The always difficult decision to end your marriage through divorce can become even more so when it involves someone with a disability. Your spouse may be reliant on you and your health insurance and income, and separating in such a situation can be exceedingly complex.
Our goal with this article is to inform you of your rights and what legal options are available to you if you decide to divorce and your spouse has a disability. Here’s what you should do if you’re considering a divorce and are concerned about paying alimony if your spouse has a disability that affects their ability to work.
How to Protect Yourself from Paying Unreasonable Alimony
Alimony, also called spousal support, is a significant issue for most couples going through a divorce on Long Island. If you’re the higher-earning spouse, you could be stuck paying too much alimony for too long if you’re not careful. Here’s how you can protect yourself from paying unreasonable spousal support during and after your divorce.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alimony or Spousal Support
Alimony, also known as spousal support, is commonly ordered in a Long Island divorce. Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions about New York alimony:
What is Alimony / Spousal Support?
Alimony is a court-ordered provision or allowance from the higher-earning spouse to the lower-earning spouse during and after a divorce. It is similar to child support in that you can be legally held accountable if you don’t make scheduled payments, but unlike child support, it can be included in a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement.
Alimony, also called spousal support or spousal maintenance, is a payment made from the higher earning spouse to the lower earning spouse during and after a divorce. These payments are intended to help bridge the income gap while the lesser earning spouse learns to function independently.
3 Different Types of Alimony in New York
There are three different types of alimony:
#1. Temporary Alimony
Temporary alimony is often awarded immediately after filing for divorce when the lesser earning spouse reveals a financial need. This type of maintenance is usually very short-lived and is re-evaluated during the divorce process.
Alimony, often called spousal support or spousal maintenance, is a payment made from the higher-earning spouse to the other for the purpose of providing temporary financial assistance to a lesser-earning spouse during and after a divorce. Support payments typically continue until the lesser-earning spouse is able to support themselves financially.
If ordered to pay spousal maintenance, what happens if you can’t afford it? Fortunately, you do have legal options to reduce your alimony payments if they’re higher than what you can feasibly pay. (more…)
Alimony, also called “spousal maintenance” on Long Island, is a payment usually made from the higher earning spouse to the other to replace a portion of lost income until the lower earning spouse is able to financially support themselves independently. Often, one spouse will give up career opportunities while the other pursues theirs to keep the home and/or take care of children, leaving them at a distinct financial disadvantage in the event of a divorce. Spousal maintenance was originally designed to bridge that gap, and since its inception, many laws have been created to govern how and when alimony is paid and taxed. (more…)
Lost Your Job? Can You Reduce Your Child Support or Alimony Payments?
Once you’ve been ordered to pay child support or alimony by a Long Island court, there are very few circumstances in which you can stop or even lower your payments. One of these is if you lose your job. However, this does not mean that as soon as you lose your job that you can simply stop making child support or alimony payments — doing so could cause you a great deal of trouble. Here’s what you should do if you’re making child support or alimony payments on Long Island and lose your job or receive a reduction in salary. (more…)
Spousal Maintenance, aka Alimony, Variations on Long Island
Spousal Maintenance, otherwise or formerly known as Alimony, plays a significant part in a majority of Divorce Proceedings handled on Long Island. Spousal maintenance is a creature of statute, and, as such is typically determined by following a formula. However, in certain cases, the courts in Nassau and Suffolk counties can deviate from the statute in a few different ways.
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