Spousal Maintenance
Spousal support or alimony
What is Spousal Maintenance?
Spousal maintenance, or what many people refer to as spousal support or alimony, can be ordered as a payment from one party to the other for two main objectives: 1) to support the recipient spouse in accordance with the needs and earning capacities of the parties, and 2) to ensure a fair and equitable financial arrangement between the parties.
Is Spousal Maintenance Right for You?
Determining whether your case is a maintenance case is the first step of the process, and if it is, the next steps are to determine an amount and the duration of the maintenance payments. There are many factors the court considers when making a maintenance award. Some of these factors include: 1) the length of marriage 2) the age, physical, and emotional health of the parties 3) the division of property 4) the educational level of each party at the time of marriage and 5) the likelihood of the recipient spouse to become self-supporting are just a few of the factors the court will apply to your particular situation to see if maintenance is appropriate, and for how much and how long. Again, those are just some of the factors the court examines when looking at a case. Every case is unique and requires specific application of the facts of the particular case to the spousal maintenance factors as set out in the Wisconsin Statutes. Our firm has assisted numerous clients in the divorce or legal separation process which requires some resolution on the issue of maintenance to be made for both parties.