A Few Things You Must Know Before Getting a Divorce
If you are confronting a divorce, you have to face the truth that payment of alimony, also called spousal support, is well entrenched in the American divorce system.
And if your income is considerably more than that of your spouse, there is every chance that the court will order you to pay some alimony.
Keep in mind that alimony is generally not awarded for short duration marriages.
Is alimony required to be paid for an unlimited duration or for a specified period?
A family law attorney Maryland has an answer to this question.
He says if the court orders you to pay alimony, then you must do so until:
• The date set by the judge several years in the future
• Your ex-spouse remarries
• Your children become independent and no longer need a full time parent
• The court decides your ex-spouse has not made adequate effort to become at least in some measure self-supporting
• An event occurs – such as job loss or retirement that may convince the judge to modify the amount
• One of you dies
The very fact that you must pay alimony to your ex-spouse does not necessarily reflect on your personality or behavior.
The requirement to pay alimony is an integral part of a marriage agreement in the United States.
Alimony has been a legal part of U.S. law for more than 100 years and is expected to continue in the future.
What about laws in Maryland?
Maryland laws have different types of spousal support.
As like in any other state the divorce process can be lengthy, in part because of the complexity of the case.
The Maryland Court does understand that spouses cannot make a living on one income.
The judges can award temporary support during the divorce process.
The objective is to provide relief only till the new support order comes into force after the divorce is finalized.
The court can award spousal support on a permanent basis if the supported spouse is unable to get a job or if the income from the existing job does not make the supported spouse financially independent.
Frequency of payment
In Maryland, the judge decides the frequency and type of payment unless the couple agrees for some other mutually agreed terms.
You must however understand the tax implications of spousal support.
The President, a couple of years back, made notable changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that did away with tax deduction for spousal support.
For a clear understanding of this aspect and other issues regarding alimony you may consider consulting the best divorce lawyer in Maryland.
Nevertheless, either party must carefully keep their taxes and alimony records.
Here is another point you must take note of.
If the court orders alimony but your spouse refuses to pay, you must take immediate legal action to safeguard your interests.
A family law attorney in Maryland is of the view that such an act can mean going against the court and if necessary the spouse can be awarded a jail term.