Getting A Divorce: 3 Terms To Include For Ending Alimony Support
Although everyone says their vows with the hope of being able to share the rest of their life with that person, this is hardly ever the case even though divorce rates have been going down. There were only 16.9 divorces per 1,000 married women aged 15 and older in 2015. Still, if you're getting a divorce, you know just how much headache comes with the situation. If you are the breadwinner, you might need to pay alimony to your former spouse. Although there may seem like there's no end in sight, here are 3 terms that you can include in the divorce agreement regarding when alimony support can be ended.
Marital Status
It hardly seems fair to have to continue paying alimony even when your spouse is engaged to someone else or even married. To make sure that there are no disagreements or misunderstandings from either side, your divorce attorney will recommend that you include a clause that states that alimony support will end once your spouse finds another partner. The definition of a relationship might also need to be explored within the divorce proceedings. For example, consider whether it'd be fair for you to continue to pay alimony if your former spouse moves in with someone else but does not tie the knot with them.
Employment Status
Once your former spouse has found employment and can support themselves, you might be off the hook of paying for alimony if that is a term that is clearly outlined in the divorce proceedings. Your divorce attorney will usually want to specify the definition of employment. For example, they might want to outline whether having a part-time job is considered to be employment. To be fair, you might want to set up a system where the amount of alimony you are required to pay will be dependent on the amount of income your spouse earns.
Set Duration of Time
Another term for ending alimony support might simply just be a set duration of time determined by the court. In general, this duration will depend on how long you've been married and the state that you reside in. For example, in California, you are usually responsible for paying alimony for half the duration of the amount of time that you and your former spouse was married. This is provided that your marriage lasted for less than 10 years. If your marriage lasted for longer than that, the court might be hesitant to set a maximum amount of time for alimony payments.
Conclusion
Just because you were the breadwinner, it doesn't necessarily mean that you'll always be responsible for supporting your former spouse. A divorce attorney, like those at Novenstern Fabriani & Gaudio, LLP, can help you craft a reasonable agreement between you and your former partner.
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