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If you believe you’re entitled to receive alimony from your ex-spouse, you should get in touch with an alimony lawyer, West Palm Beach, FL residents trust. Alimony requires one spouse to financially support the other after a divorce. An experienced lawyer can help you obtain alimony and protect your legal rights.
Although alimony has been around for a while, there are still many misconceptions about it. Here are some common myths that you shouldn’t believe.
Unfortunately, many people assume that they will receive alimony for the rest of their lives. However, that is not what it is intended for. Alimony is supposed to provide temporary financial support until you get back on your feet. For example, if you get a good paying job, the judge will likely terminate your alimony payments.
Although alimony can be paid monthly, it doesn’t have to be. Some spouses request to receive their alimony in a single lump sum. One of the benefits of requesting a lump sum payment is that you will get everything you’re entitled to. You never know if your ex-spouse will lose his or her job in the future and stop making payments.
While this might have been true many years ago, it is not the case today. With more and more women entering the workforce, it is not unheard of for the woman to pay alimony. The spouse who has earned the higher salary in the marriage will typically be required to pay alimony.
As an alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL can confirm, many people believe alimony terms are set in stone. However, they can absolutely be modified if a spouse’s circumstances have changed. For instance, if the spouse who is making alimony payments suddenly loses a job, he or she can ask for the payments to be reduced.
All states are no-fault now, so a spouse’s bad behavior during the marriage will not influence alimony payments. For example, if your spouse cheated on you during your marriage, it does not entitle you to additional payments.
If you receive alimony payments, you have to report them when you file your taxes each year.
Alimony or spousal support is often a part of a divorce agreement. The court has the ultimate say over whether to award it, unless you reach an agreement outside of court.
Not all alimony is the same, though. An alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL, can help you navigate the potential options you may have when it comes to a spousal support award.
Bridge-the-gap alimony is a transitional version of support. The main goal is to assist one party with the change from being in a marriage to being single.
It is a short-term option that cannot last more than two years. You also cannot request any modification to the order once it is final.
Rehabilitative alimony also helps with the transition, but there is a specific goal it assists with. It allows the other person to do what he or she needs to secure employment and become self-sustaining.
Because it can take some time for a person to gather the necessary training or education, there is not a time limit like with bridge-the-gap support. A person will receive it for however long the court feels he or she needs to develop skills, acquire training or complete education.
The main requirement is the court will require a detailed plan that becomes part of the order. The person receiving the support must follow and adhere to the plan. At the end of the plan, the support stops. This type of alimony is modifiable.
You will want to work with an alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL, to assist with the development of the plan because it plays such an important role for this type of alimony.
Durational alimony is for a set time after the divorce. It usually depends on the length of the marriage as to how long it will last. There are no requirements to receive this type, such as securing employment.
You can modify durational alimony, but you cannot change the length of time for payments. However, it will end at any time if the person receiving payments remarries.
Permanent alimony is a long-term form of support. The idea is to use this type for someone who cannot work or cannot support themselves after the marriage ends.
You can modify the order. It will end upon the death of either party or the remarriage of the person receiving the payments.
Understanding which type of support to ask for can help increase your chances of receiving it. You should discuss the options with an alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL.
One of the hardest aspects of divorce is having to break down your assets and adjust to a smaller income. That said, finding an alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL and negotiating with your former spouse is a logical and even a necessary step to preserve your way of life and that of your children’s.
Negotiating with your former spouse can be incredibly difficult and even contentious, especially when the negotiations are centered around money. As you consult a group of attorneys from Farkas & Crowley, PA on the next steps in your negotiation, here are some tips on how a successful meeting of the minds regarding alimony should go.
Often after a split, emotions run high and ex-spouses find it hard to discuss their split calmly and with clarity. Of course, to aid you in your alimony negotiations, your alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL may serve as your mediator. Still, it’s important to prepare yourself to negotiate with your former spouse in a calm, collected, and respectful way.
Instead of opting for off the cuff discussions, prepare your points of negotiation and even write down your statements to stay calm and polite. Focus on not raising your voice, and don’t speak from a place of strong feelings.
It’s understandable that your former spouse will want to push back on your alimony negotiations. This is why you need an alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL to help you navigate your negotiation with reason and with a problem-solving agenda. For instance, if your spouse says they don’t see why you need such a high monthly alimony, explain that you are worried about how to cover babysitting costs when you are out at work.
This type of approach offers a sound reason for your end of the negotiation. The reason is strong, and it is not one that your former spouse can dismiss.
Your attorney from Farkas & Crowley, PA will guide you through gathering and organizing all the documents you need to bring to the table as you negotiate your alimony payments. Using joint bank account records to income statements, pay stubs, and state laws, your lawyer will help you build a case for your alimony payments. Together, you will also use Florida’s alimony calculator to help determine what type of spousal support is best for you each month
Schedule a consultation with an alimony lawyer in West Palm Beach, FL at Farkas & Crowley, PA today.
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The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. No content on this site may be reused in any fashion without written permission from criminal defense attorneys at Law Office of Farkas & Crowley, P.A.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. No content on this site may be reused in any fashion without written permission from criminal defense attorneys at Law Office of Farkas & Crowley, P.A.
