If you have been a homemaker, stay-at-home parent, or your spouse was the primary bread-winner and your spouse provided financial support, you may be entitled to continued spousal support from that person after the divorce. If you are the primary financial support for your household, you may have to pay support for a period of time after the marriage ends.
Spousal support, sometimes referred to as alimony or spousal maintenance, is paid by one spouse to the other after the parties separate. There are several factors that influence whether spousal support is awarded, including the length of the marriage, the income of each party, the earning capacity of each party and the conduct of each party during the marriage.
If you have questions about how much support you can expect to pay or receive, one of our experienced Raleigh spousal support attorneys can advise you. Unlike child support, spousal support is not calculated by a worksheet. The amount paid or received depends, partly, on each party’s income and reasonable monthly expenses.
At Triangle Divorce Lawyers, our family law attorneys represent individuals throughout Raleigh and the surrounding communities. We educate people about the two types of spousal support they may receive in Raleigh, North Carolina
When the court considers awarding post-separation support, it must first determine if there is a “dependent” spouse and a “supporting” spouse. According to North Carolina’s spousal support laws, a dependent spouse is a spouse, “whether husband or wife, who is actually substantially dependent upon the other spouse for his or her maintenance and support or is substantially in need of maintenance and support from the other spouse.”
If you have been a homemaker or stay-at-home parent and your spouse provided financial support, you may be entitled to spousal support through the assistance of a Raleigh spousal support lawyer.
This type of support is intended to enable the dependent spouse to retain his or her standard of living. It is based, in part, upon the relative needs of the parties and the supporting spouse’s ability to pay support.
Our Raleigh spousal support lawyers at Triangle Divorce Lawyers are happy to schedule a case review to answer your questions and address your concerns about post-separation support.