Alimony can be awarded to a male or female party going through divorce depending on which party earns more, but in Salt Lake City it is not guaranteed that spousal support will be awarded. There are various factors that will determine if a party will be awarded spousal support.
Factors affecting spousal support in Salt Lake:
One of the main factors affecting whether a party will be awarded spousal support is if the other party can afford to pay the spousal support in the first place. When considering how much money should be awarded for spousal support the financial obligations and debts that the party is paying will be considered.
Another thing that will determine the outcome of a spousal support application is also the amount the applicant earns and the ability of the applicant to provide for themselves. This will include taking into consideration debts, income, and living expenses. For example, if the recipient has some sort of medical condition to prevent them from working then they will be more likely to receive spousal support than those that can earn for themselves.
If the party that is the higher earner has custody of any children that resulted from the marriage, then it is unlikely that the other party will get spousal support or a higher amount given that all other factors are normal. The length of the marriage is also something that will affect the likelihood and amount of spousal support that a party will receive.
Spousal support aims to help the lesser earning party to be able to transition their financial situation easier. Spousal support is there to allow this party to go from being dependent on financially independent. It will also enable the person to have a certain standard of living while they are trying to become self-sufficient. In most cases, alimony rarely is paid for longer than the duration of the marriage.
Changing the amount of alimony, you receive:
Under certain mitigating circumstances, alimony may be changed by the recipient of the party paying alimony. In order to do this, it is essential to provide the court with evidence as to why this amount needs to be changed. This could be proof of decreased or increased earnings. The only time the court will consider changing the amount of alimony paid, is when there is a large shift in the money being earned by either party.
What happens if I don’t get paid court ordered alimony?
Once the court has set the amount of alimony a party must pay it is enforceable by law. Not paying it is a criminal offense. If you find yourself in the position where you are not being paid the appointed alimony, you can apply to the court to enforce the order.
During the difficult time of divorce, it is very important to have a Salt Lake City divorce attorney on your side. A Salt Lake City divorce attorney will ensure that you receive the best outcome for your children. For advice from a Salt Lake City divorce lawyer please contact our experienced lawyers at Emy A. Cordano on (801) 901-8159