Getting divorced is one of the biggest challenges you can go through in life. Leaving the person you used to love – or still love – is never easy.
Ending a marriage is not only a heartbreaking experience but also a daunting experience from the legal perspective. The divorcing process can even become a nerve-wracking experience if you have children and/or your personal assets have to be divided.
Going through a divorce alone without seeking the legal advice can cost you your money, home, and even kids.
Moreover, you may not be able to continue the standard of living you had during the marriage and will have to scrimp and live in squalid conditions.
If you happen to be going through a divorce: first of all, stay strong; second of all, let us help you. Our Salt Lake City divorce attorneys have prepared a guide to help you understand whether or not you’re entitled to spousal support (alimony) in Utah.
Spousal support determination in Salt Lake City
The first thing you need to understand about spousal support is that not every former spouse is entitled to receive alimony.
So, what makes you eligible for spousal support in Salt Lake City?
- your marriage must be valid before you receive alimony
- you can prove in court that you’re unable to meet your needs without the financial support from your former spouse
- you have documented evidence of abandoning a career to devote yourself to family
- you need your former spouse to support you financially while developing job skills to be able to support yourself on your own.
This is a non-exhaustive list of requirements to be entitled to spousal support in Salt Lake City. Find out if you’re eligible for alimony in your particular circumstances by consulting our experienced divorce lawyers at The Ault Firm.
Call our firm at 801-539-9000 or fill out this contact form to your initial consultation.
How much money can you get in spousal support?
The amount of alimony is determined by courts that have broad discretion. While child support has very specific guidelines on how much money should be provided in monthly child support, determining the amount of spousal support can be tricky.
Courts usually take into consideration the following factors when determining how much money you can get in spousal support in Salt Lake City or anywhere else in Utah:
- your age, health conditions and emotional state
- the wealth of your former spouse
- the set number of months or years you’d need for education or training to develop necessary job skills
- your standard of living during the marriage and its length
- whether or not your spouse would be able to support himself or herself while also paying alimony to you.
Spousal support can be either temporary – if you need some time to develop job skills or finish education – or permanent, if you may never be able to support yourself financially due to age, health conditions or disability.
Given that in order to get the most favorable spousal support deal you need to provide a lot of evidence in court (medical records, financial records, your previous jobs and education, your standard of living during marriage, your former spouse’s financial condition, etc.), it’s vital to hire a divorce attorney in Salt Lake City to maximize the amount of alimony.
Over the years, our team of experienced divorce lawyers has represented both women and men to navigate them through the legal process and win settlements, verdicts, spousal support and child support deals in their best interests.
Call our Salt Lake City offices at 801-539-9000 today. We won’t let your divorce ruin your life.
