Category: Spousal Support

 If you are entitled to spousal support, you can receive temporary spousal support once you file for divorce. Temporary support is meant to help the lower earner temporarily pay expenses while divorcing.  The temporary spousal support amount is based on the lower earner’s need and the higher earner’s ability to pay. Most judges use support […]

Whether you want Spousal Support Options or not, you must address spousal support for both of you in the divorce agreement. You have four options; you can receive support; you could waive support; you can reserve the issue for later; or you can do a buy-out. Whichever option you choose, it might not be the […]

Spousal support is a hard conversation and can put you at odds with your spouse. The more one of you has, the less the other does. But it’s very possible to move from this more limited view by including more details to your negotiation, such as how long support will be paid, whether the support […]

Permanent spousal support starts when you finish your divorce. Permanent support doesn’t mean support will be paid forever, but it’s the spousal support order in your divorce agreement.  The purpose of permanent support is different from temporary support. Permanent support is paid so the lower earner can maintain the standard of living the spouse had […]

Modifying Spousal Support: In the future, your spousal support order may no longer be right because of some kind of life change. If it’s a material change of circumstances, you can change the spousal support order, called a Modification. A material change of circumstance requires a significant change that was not present when the original […]

How to Request Temporary Spousal Support: Once you reach an agreement, prepare a “Stipulation and Order” with the FL-343 “Spousal, Partner or Family Support Order Attachment” and file it with the court clerk. For detailed instructions, review “Obtaining Temporary Orders” in The Complete Divorce program. If you cannot reach an agreement, your other option is […]

Creating a Detailed Spousal Support Agreement: When you include permanent support in your agreement, you want to include the amount, when it starts, what days in the month it will be paid, and if agreed, when it will end. You can also add more to the agreement, such as when a spouse needs to start […]