Dealing with divorce can be a difficult process for anyone. If you are trying to get through it on your own, you may not realize the amount of legal expertise involved in this very complicated process. Our Alimony and Spousal Support Attorneys Atlanta GA make it our goal to provide each client with the personalized attention they need throughout this challenging time in their life.
What is Alimony?
You may hear your attorney use the terms alimony, spousal support, and maintenance interchangeably because they are all different ways of describing one concept-that is to say that although these three concepts can be used together without confusion or problem; for simplicity’s sake we will only refer hereafter as “Alimony.”
The first type referred to by alimony and spousal support lawyers might seem a little more technical than what you think it would mean but don’t worry! It just means paid out over time in exchange for money which was given during marriage when there wasn’t enough income coming through from both spouses working (reciprocal). This could potentially happen if an individual earns less than their partner so needs financial assistance until he or she gets back on their feet financially.
How Do the Divorce Courts Determine Alimony in Atlanta GA?
Like most other states, Georgia has adopted many standards from the Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act.
Which States:
“(a) When a divorce or legal separation is granted, or when a termination of a domestic partnership becomes effective under § 32-702(d) or § 16-904(e) and one partner has filed a petition for relief available under this section, the Court may require either party to pay alimony to the other party if it seems just and proper.
(b) The award of alimony may be indefinite or term-limited and structured as appropriate to the facts. The Court shall determine the amount and the time period for the award of alimony.
(c) An award of alimony may be retroactive to the date of the filing of the pleading that requests alimony.
(d) In making an award of alimony, the Court shall consider all the relevant factors necessary for a fair and equitable award, including, but not limited to, the:
(1) ability of the party seeking alimony to be wholly or partly self-supporting;
(2) time necessary for the party seeking alimony to gain sufficient education or training to enable that party to secure suitable employment;
(3) standard of living that the parties established during their marriage or domestic partnership, but giving consideration to the fact that there will be 2 households to maintain;
(4) duration of the marriage or domestic partnership;
(5) circumstances that contributed to the estrangement of the parties;
(6) age of each party;
(7) physical and mental condition of each party;
(8) ability of the party from whom alimony is sought to meet his or her needs while meeting the needs of the other party; and
(9) financial needs and financial resources of each party, including:
(A) income;
(B) income from assets, both those that are the property of the marriage or domestic partnership and those that are not;
(C) potential income which may be imputed to non-income-producing assets of a party;
(D) any previous award of child support in this case;
(E) the financial obligations of each party;
(F) the right of a party to receive retirement benefits; and
(G) the taxability or non-taxability of income.”
When Should I Contact an Alimony and Divorce Lawyer?
Whether you need to respond or file for divorce, our attorneys are here to advise. We serve clients throughout Atlanta and Northern Georgia from offices in Alpharetta, Marietta (and all other areas), Cumming as well as Atlanta. Contact Us Online Today To Start Your Free Case Review.