It can be overwhelming with all of the decisions that need to be made once it has been decided to move forward with divorce.  You have to consider custody, family pets, property distribution, finances but one thing that should not be over looked is alimony.

 

What is alimony?

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Alimony, also known as spouse support, is a legal obligation that one spouse has to provide financial support to the other spouse.  This can be during your separation or after your divorce has been finalized. 

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Who gets alimony?

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Alimony is intended to assist the spouse with a lower income maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed during their marriage.  

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How does alimony work?

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In cases that go to court, the judge decides what the alimony should be. The court will look at the unique situation of this couple (their incomes, duration of marriage, assets) and decide who deserves what payment.

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How is alimony paid?

 

Some people agree to lump sums (all at once) payments. While others like to break it up, so a little bit is withheld from each payment. Most people agree to pay directly to the other person, there are times that the payment can be set up through the court.

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Click here to find out the guidelines for your state.