Spousal Maintenance & Alimony

SPOUSAL MAINTENANCE ALIMONY

Houston Spousal Maintenance Attorney

Spousal support, more commonly known as “Alimony” always has the potential to become contentious. One spouse may think he or she is paying too much, while the other believes he or she receives too little.If you are working through any maintenance or support issue, it is important to partner with an attorney who will advocate for you. In Houston, we at the Law Office of Dan Kirby are prepared to bring our 25 years of family law experience to help you efficiently and effectively address any support/maintenance issue that you might be facing. We encourage you to get in touch as soon as possible — our team is here for you.

Talk to Dan Kirby before agreeing to any spousal support (alimony) orders. We can protect your financial interests. Call 713-681-1300.

How Spousal Maintenance Is Determined In Texas

In many marriages, one party makes the majority of the income, whereas the other takes care of the home and raises the children. In the event of a divorce, the latter may need financial support. This is where spousal support (also known as “alimony”) comes into play.

Unlike child support, judges have broad discretion relating to spousal maintenance issues. They will likely consider factors such as:

  • The length of the marriage
  • Whether the marriage ended due to a “fault” like infidelity, abuse or fraud
  • The ability of each spouse to earn an income
  • The marital standard of living
  • Each spouse’s nonfinancial contributions to the marriage

While the divorce process plays out, the (higher) income earner may be required to pay the other spouse money to take care of expenses. This temporary support ends after the divorce is finalized. It can continue after the divorce under specific circumstances.

After the divorce (post-divorce), maintenance allows for payments for a specific period of time to allow for training and obtainment of employment. It acts as a financial step-up to gainful employment.

It is also important to recognize that one must have been married at least 10 years in order to obtain support after a divorce (barring extenuating circumstances). Obtaining maintenance requires demonstration that one lacks necessary income to be financially stable.

We Can Protect You Financially Now And Into The Future

Many people far too eagerly sign settlements to complete the divorce quickly without considering the long-term financial ramifications. We can review any settlements before you sign to make sure you are not setting yourself up for financial hardship in the future.

To learn more about how we can help, schedule an initial consultation with our Houston spousal maintenance lawyer by calling the Law Office of Dan Kirby at 713-681-1300.