Spousal Support
Spousal Support Michigan Divorce
Spousal Support, also known as alimony, is money paid to the spouse who will be in an inferior financial position after the divorce. Spousal Support is a discussion in every family law case. The legal trend is to award spousal support in long-term marriages to the spouse who had to depend financially on the other spouse. Most commonly, spousal support is awarded to the spouse whose lack of job skills makes it difficult to “get back on her feet” after years in the home. However, there is no set rule, if, when, or how much spousal support can be awarded.
Our firm is able to roughly determine whether someone may be able to receive this type of financial support at the outset of your case. You will know at the beginning of the case the likelihood that you will receive support or pay support. If what we tell you is not what you wanted to hear, we will help you build a case for or against spousal support whenever possible. We will assist you in your efforts to get what is fair.
Macomb County Michigan Divorce Attorney
Eleven factors also known as ‘guidelines’ are evaluated by the court when awarding spousal support. The individual who requests spousal support must allege facts sufficient to show a need for spousal support and that the opposing party is able to pay/afford support. The Court will consider these factors/guidelines in determining whether spousal support should be awarded to an individual:
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- past relations and conduct of the parties
- length of the marriage
- ability of the parties to work
- source of and amount of property awarded to the parties
- age of the partiesability of the parties to pay alimony
- present situation of the parties
- needs of the parties
- health of the parties
- prior standard of living of the parties and whether either is responsible for the support of others
- general principles of equity
These eleven factors or guidelines do not include extenuating circumstances, such as spousal disability. If there are extenuating circumstances, then the attorney may be able to plead this to the Court also.