How to Maximize Alimony Payments in a Messy Divorce
When divorcing a spouse, there are many bases you will cover like asset division, child support, child custody, and alimony. Alimony is different from the division of assets. Alimony involves supporting a spouse to ensure both spouses are on a sufficient financial basis. Generally, on such matters of divorce, it is always important to work with a highly rated Sarasota divorce attorney near you like Attorney Matt Martell. If you want to maximize your alimony payments, do not go through the legal process alone, especially if the divorce is messy.
What is Alimony?
In simple terms, alimony or spousal support is the payment made to one spouse from the other in a divorce. That money is not aimed to help with childcare expenses. That is what child support is for. Alimony is specifically for a spouse’s financial needs. When you are entitled to spousal support, you need to know the different types of alimony you can get. It is advisable to consult with a knowledgeable and experience Bradenton divorce lawyer such as Matthew Z. Martell to get educated on these things. With that said, the main types of alimony currently available include:
Temporary Alimony
Temporary alimony is for only short-term needs during the divorce itself. A good example is a spouse moving out of a marital home without a full-time job during the divorce. Temporary alimony helps cover needs like rent, insurance, and utilities.
Bridge-the-gap Alimony
This type of alimony offers financial support for a specific short period of time. For instance, a spouse can receive bridge-the-gap alimony for two years.
Rehabilitative Alimony
This type of alimony is to help a divorced spouse re-develop former job skills, get new education, or gain an occupational license so as to become financially independent.
Durational Alimony
This type of alimony offers alimony for a specific duration of time. For example, if you were married for 10 years, then typically you would receive durational alimony for 5 years. This is currently used primarily in mid-length marriages which are more than 7 years but less than 17 years. It appears that this type of alimony will replace permanent periodic alimony effective 7-1-2022 since the State of Florida is poised to get rid of permanent periodic alimony.
Permanent Alimony
Permanent alimony is common in marriages that have lasted a long time. In such cases, durational alimony is for a long enough time and rehabilitative alimony is not right. The court, therefore, awards permanent alimony.
If you are not familiar with Florida divorce laws, most likely, you do not know the type of alimony you are entitled to or what you should be paying. In such cases, you should work with an experienced divorce lawyer in Venice, FL like Matthew Z. Martell. Such legal counsel is necessary for making informed choices regarding alimony.
How To Maximize Alimony Payments
Here is how you can maximize your alimony payments.
- Plan for yourself. Once the court grants you alimony, budget for that money wisely as you take measures to improve your financial situation.
- Have a Plan B. You must talk to your Sarasota, Bradenton, and Venice, Florida divorce lawyer about steps to take if your ex-spouse misses or is late making payments.
- Research and find out how much it will cost you to get the training you need to secure a job.
How Can a Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, or Venice, FL Divorce Lawyer Help?
The reason you need to work with a Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and Venice, FL divorce lawyer with significant experience in alimony is to have that professional negotiate for you the right amount of alimony depending on your situation. Also, in case your spouse refuses to pay the amount ordered by the court, or routinely makes late payments for no reason, this alimony attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf.
As most divorce attorneys in Sarasota, Bradenton, and Venice, FL agree, divorce issues are often charged with a lot of emotions like anger, betrayal, and sadness. It can be hard to be objective with your decisions in such a mental state. It is even harder to look past the cause of divorce and think of the future. Attorneys are neutral and are paid to have your best legal interest at heart. They represent you objectively and explain what you need to do. Therefore, if you want to maximize your alimony payments, contact the Law Offices of Matthew Z. Martell. With extensive experience and knowledge on matters regarding alimony, we can help you ensure you get the right amount for the right length of time.
