Charlottesville Alimony Attorney

Alimony, known as spousal support in Virginia, is payments made from one spouse to another after the divorce. Receiving spousal support payments can make it easier to establish yourself financially after a divorce, but paying them can be a significant expense you may not have been prepared for.

If you need help understanding how spousal support payments work in Virginia, call the family law practice of Seiden Legal Group, PLLC. We can explain your legal rights and help you determine if spousal support should be part of your divorce settlement.

Spousal support is not a factor in every divorce case, and the judge is not legally required to order it. Instead, the court looks at several factors to determine if spousal support is appropriate. These factors include but aren’t limited to:

• How long the parties were married
• Any special circumstances of the family
• The financial and nonfinancial contributions of both parties toward the family
• The standard of living during the marriage
• The terms of the property settlement from the divorce

Spousal support may be more likely to be awarded when there is a large discrepancy in the earning potential of the parties or when one spouse put their career on hold to support the children or the household.

Unlike child support, which usually ends when the child turns 18 or graduates high school, there are no specific guidelines for how long spousal support is awarded. In many cases, spousal support is granted on a temporary basis as a way to provide some income until the receiving spouse gets a job and is able to pay for their own expenses. However, it is possible to receive “permanent” spousal support. In this case, the support payments continue until or unless one of the parties dies or the receiving spouse remarries.

Like child custody, spousal support can be an issue that can create a great deal of conflict in a divorce. It’s not uncommon for the person who is ordered to pay to refuse. However, a spousal support order is a legal court order that must be obeyed. If your ex is refusing to comply with the terms of the order, there are some steps you can take to ensure you receive what you’re entitled to. Family law attorneys can help you file a motion with the court for the order to be enforced through income withholdings and other means.

At Seiden Legal Group, PLLC, our law firm has extensive experience helping clients understand Virginia’s spousal support guidelines and determining whether they apply to their situations. Call our office today to learn more.