Cherokee County Spousal Support Lawyer

While state doesn’t require one former spouse to provide financial support to the other after getting divorced, alimony may be awarded at the court’s discretion in a variety of circumstances. However, whether you are seeking spousal support or expect to be ordered to provide it, you may have trouble communicating your needs and pursuing a fair arrangement without the help of seasoned legal counsel.

For assistance with any aspect of the alimony process, you should speak to a Cherokee County spousal support lawyer from our firm about your situation. Once retained, a skilled family law attorney can work to ensure that any support order the court issues is equitable to both you and your former partner.

Temporary vs Permanent Alimony in Cherokee County

Under state law, spousal support can be either temporary or permanent. Temporary alimony refers to support that a higher-earning spouse is ordered to pay to a lower-earning spouse while they are in the process of getting divorced.

Alternatively, permanent alimony may be ordered to take effect after the divorce is finalized to ensure the lower-earning spouse can support themselves. Permanent alimony rarely lasts indefinitely, except in situations where two parties were married for an extremely long time or a lower-earning spouse cannot be expected to support themselves due to their age or a preexisting disability.

Otherwise, a court may order one spouse to provide support to the other for rehabilitative purposes. This means support obligations would continue until certain conditions are achieved (i.e. the lower-earning spouse completing education or job retraining, or one spouse paying the other back for previously supporting their career).

Either spouse can petition the court for a support order, so while the paying party is usually the one with higher income, this is not always the case. A qualified Cherokee County alimony attorney can clarify what types of alimony might be available in your case.

Determining Spousal Support Obligations

In addition to the income of each party to a divorce, a number of other factors may influence a final support order. According to Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 19-6-5, these factors include but are not limited to:

• The ages of both parties;
• The physical, mental, and emotional health of both parties;
• Any financial resources either party has besides regular income;
• The standard of living of both parties while they were married;
• The length of the parties’ marriage;
• The personal assets and debts of both parties; and
• The degree to which each party contributed to their marriage – either through financial means, household services, or childcare.

Regardless of any of these factors, however, permanent spousal support terminates automatically if the recipient remarries at any point.

Various other matters – ranging from living arrangements to personal inheritances – can also influence how much support one party owes another after a separation, or even whether alimony is warranted at all. A lawyer in Cherokee County can help you negotiate for a favorable spousal support agreement that accounts for your financial needs and future interests.

Talk to a Cherokee County Spousal Support Attorney Today

Determining spousal support obligations can be a controversial component of any divorce case, especially when one spouse was the primary breadwinner during the marriage.

Fortunately, a Cherokee County spousal support lawyer is ready and available to answer any questions you have about how alimony may be awarded in your case. Call today to speak with our intake team about your situation.