Spousal Maintenance
Gillespie, Shields & Associates
In the state of Arizona, alimony or spousal support is called “spousal maintenance”. When spouses decide to divorce, the husband or the wife may wish to receive spousal maintenance. In order to receive maintenance payments, the spouse must be able to demonstrate to the court that he/she:
- had a marriage that was lengthy and that he/she is at an age where it would be difficult for him/her to find a job to support him/herself
- contributed to the other spouse’s education in some way, such as staying home and raising the children while the spouse attended school
- does not have adequate property or income to maintain his/her day-to-day needs
- is not able to obtain employment because he/she has custody of the children or lacks the abilities it takes to secure steady employment
If one or several of these factors are met, the court will consider awarding spousal maintenance on a short or long-term basis. Before awarding spousal maintenance, the courts will review a list of 11 factors which include, but are not limited to: the spouse’s age, the spouse’s health, the spouse’s employability and the length of the marriage. The court will not consider marital misconduct or infidelity when deciding upon spousal maintenance awards.
When a spouse is thinking about seeking spousal maintenance or knows that his/her spouse may ask for support, it is important that he/she hires an aggressive divorce attorney who has handled similar cases. By hiring a spousal maintenance lawyer, people will ensure that their individual rights and financial needs remain protected following divorce proceedings.
Arizona Family Lawyers
Helping Clients in Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler & Gilbert
If you are looking for an empathetic Phoenix divorce attorney that handles spousal maintenance cases, do not hesitate to contact Gillespie, Shields & Associates today!