Spousal support is something that isn’t an issue in every divorce, but when your divorce might be one that does have it, you need to consider what this means very carefully. There are three ways that an alimony order can be placed into effect, so it is best to understand all of them so that you can make decisions about your case based on the information you have.
The first way that alimony might come into the picture is if you and your ex agree on the terms of the payments. In this case, you and your ex have control over the terms of the agreement. The agreement needs to lay out the amount, the frequency and the duration of the payments.
Another way is through the terms of a prenuptial agreement if one is present. The prenup would outline what you need to know to get the spousal support order together. Of course, there are times when a prenuptial agreement’s validity might come into the picture. This would start a court proceeding regarding this issue.
Finally, the court might order alimony payments as part of the divorce proceedings. This might occur in a litigated divorce, which would happen if you and your ex couldn’t come up with the terms of the divorce together during mediation or similar processes.
Alimony payments are only one aspect of divorce that has to be decided. Property division, child custody and child support are also on the list of things that come up in divorces. Being prepared to handle each of these can help you as you go through the divorce so you can start your new life.
Source: FindLaw, “Spousal Support (Alimony) Basics,” accessed Jan. 03, 2018
