Spousal Maintenance Attorneys in Chandler Helping Clients Find Financial Security After Divorce

Spousal maintenance, often known as alimony or spousal support, refers to the payments an individual makes for their ex-spouse who may not have the resources or income to support themselves after a divorce. There are many reasons why spousal maintenance may be awarded, and the court will need documentation and proof of any of these before assigning spousal support. Some circumstances requiring alimony payments include situations in which one spouse is disadvantaged because of a lower-paying job or no job at all. An individual may not have the experience or skills in order to get a job that provides sufficient income because they have sacrificed their time and energy to help their spouse get and keep higher-paying employment. After your divorce, needing to find income shouldn’t be a stressful factor for you. If you need financial support because of the years put into the marriage that has prevented you from pursuing a lucrative career, a family law firm can get you the help you need through spousal maintenance. The talented attorneys at The Sampair Group can help with determining the spousal maintenance that you should seek. We will stand by you as you achieve the financial stability you deserve through the appropriate legal actions, so reach out to us right away at 623-777-3909.

What Does Spousal Maintenance Mean in Arizona?

Under Arizona state law, spousal maintenance, or alimony, means the payments made by one spouse to their ex to support them while they are not able to provide sufficiently for themselves. The laws of spousal maintenance are intended to help a divorced spouse keep their standard of living when they are not prepared to enter the workforce or if they have a lower-paying job than their ex-spouse.

Oftentimes, a divorced spouse struggles with a decrease in their living standards because they have been out of the workforce or they simply don’t have the training to secure employment that would pay enough. At The Sampair Group, we know how to help people get through the complicated process of proving that they need spousal maintenance after their divorce or legal separation.

Determining spousal maintenance is an automatic consideration in any divorce in the state of Arizona and is one the courts take very seriously. Sometimes couples come to an agreement without the use of the courts when the divorce is uncontested. But if this is not possible, the court will make a decision based on many factors. They may consider various aspects of the case, such as what standard of living the couple had during their marriage, how long they were married, each spouse’s age and ability to work, as well as many other factors. Having family law attorneys on your side can help you present the best possible case for the court, giving you the greatest chance of getting the spousal maintenance you deserve.

Is There More Than One Type of Spousal Maintenance?

Spousal maintenance is more flexible than child support and can be awarded in a few different ways The following are some of the more common ways of awarding spousal maintenance:

Permanent Spousal Maintenance

Permanent spousal maintenance has no end date because it is designed to last as long as the receiving spouse is alive. It is used in cases where a spouse has a disability of some kind, such as age or mental disability, and cannot be expected to seek employment.

Rehabilitative Spousal Maintenance

Rehabilitative spousal maintenance is the type of alimony payment we generally see most often in the state of Arizona. When the courts award rehabilitative spousal maintenance, it is because one spouse has a temporary inability to earn sufficient income. For example, he or she may have given up seeking further education or training for higher-paying work in order to support the ex-spouse in their employment or educational opportunities. Rehabilitative maintenance is designed to help the receiving spouse gain the training or education that they sacrificed during the marriage, thus making it possible for them to earn sufficient income on their own eventually. It is not expected that these payments last forever, and courts will often even set a time limit or certain conditions to be met for rehabilitative spousal maintenance to end.

Compensatory Spousal Maintenance

This form of spousal support is less commonly used and, in many cases, is not understood by couples going through a divorce. If spousal maintenance is compensatory, the receiving spouse has been investing their own time or money in their ex-spouse to the extent that at the end of the marriage, they are due at least some of that amount in repayment. The investment could have been toward their spouse’s tuition or training costs in order to improve his or her employment, for example. The courts may then order an amount in compensatory spousal maintenance payments back to the receiving spouse.

If you are going through a divorce and believe you are due some sort of legal compensation from your ex, you should discuss the details with a skilled family law attorney who can help you decide which kind of alimony you need and then help you achieve your goals.

What Amount of Spousal Maintenance Should I Get?

How much spousal support you are awarded depends on a great many factors and varies from case to case. Some things the court will consider when deciding how much alimony you’ll get are what kind of standard of living you had while married, whether you can reasonably be expected to seek work in order to meet that standard of living, the length of the marriage, and whether you have children to care for. With all of the variables in a spousal maintenance case, you don’t want to enter these types of negotiations alone. Having someone experienced on your side can give you peace of mind that you’ll walk away with the benefits you deserve from your spousal maintenance award. Don’t go it alone during this already emotionally trying time. Reach out to our law firm today.

Is it Worth it to Hire a Spousal Maintenance Lawyer?

If you are going through legal separation, divorce, or annulment, you are probably under high levels of stress which can affect your emotional health and well-being. Don’t let worries about being able to find appropriate employment cause even more doubt and stress in your life. You can get help from your ex-spouse while you are not yet ready to become financially independent. The legal services we offer can help make sure you get the support you need during your divorce case and beyond. Our talented legal team takes pride in listening to our clients to make sure we understand their financial needs, and then we take action to get them the results they need.

Don’t delay getting the legal advice that will help you maintain your lifestyle following your divorce. Reach out to us at 623-777-3909 to schedule a consultation today.