Charleston, South Carolina, Area Family Law Attorney
Most divorces have considerable financial consequences. If one party's financial status will be impacted significantly more than the other's in your divorce — most commonly due to a large disparity in income — spousal support (commonly called alimony) may be a major issue.
Orders for spousal support/alimony are far from automatic, and they have become less common as more women have become fully self-supporting. The knowledge and experience of your divorce lawyer can play a major part in whether you receive alimony or are ordered to pay, how much, and for how long. To protect your interests, contact our Mt. Pleasant law office.
Will You Need Temporary or Long-Term Alimony to Survive Financially?
If your spouse earns a much higher income than you do, and/or you do not have the ability to support yourself at an acceptable living standard, we may be able to aggressively negotiate or pursue litigation to get the spousal support you need. Many factors may be considered, including:
- How long you were married, and the ages and health of both parties
- The education, work history and earning potential of each spouse
- Any misconduct or fault constituting grounds for divorce — including adultery, which will prevent the offender from receiving alimony
We have helped many clients obtain temporary alimony/spousal support while a divorce was in process, as well as longer-term alimony as part of their settlements.
Do You Need to Defend Against Alimony That You Cannot Afford?
We also know how to defend your financial future if your divorcing spouse is demanding spousal support he/she does not truly need, or is asking for permanent periodic alimony despite the ability to be self-supportive.
Attorney Emily G. Johnston holds an MBA, and our firm has many resources we can tap to build a strong financial case for you. In many cases, it is possible to demonstrate that your spouse has greater earning capacity than claimed. In others, we can negotiate for rehabilitative maintenance (higher payments over a shorter time) as an alternative to long-term alimony, or propose a property settlement that does not saddle you with a lifelong obligation.
If spousal support/alimony may be an issue in your divorce, or you believe you have cause to seek a modification of the order for alimony, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your case. We offer an initial consultation for a fee, and accept credit card payments.
