What Is Spousal Support Lawyer? Do You Really Need One?
Dealing with separation or divorce from your partner is not an easy situation to handle.
Due to this, you are required to deal with this situation with proper representation.
With the assistance of an experienced spousal support lawyer, you can be assured of moving on effectively.
But, you might wonder who is a spousal support lawyer or do you really need them in your case.
In this article, we will discuss what is a spousal support lawyer along with what is alimony.
Contents
What Is A Spousal Support Lawyer?
If you are going through a divorce, then a spousal support lawyer will come to your assistance to clear the process of acquiring spousal support. This is also known as alimony.
A spousal support lawyer, also known as an alimony attorney, is known for their ability to represent you in court while you are negotiating for spousal support after a divorce.
Additionally, the spousal support lawyer will also be assisting you with the purpose of making changes in the spousal amount that was arranged priorly.
The spousal support lawyer is also known for his or her ability to effectively represent you in a court of law. This is especially prevalent if your partner does not agree to pay the said spousal support to you, which was previously agreed on.
What Is Alimony?
Alimony is a court-ordered payment that either of the spouses who is divorced or in a separation agreement is required to pay to the other spouse.
The primary reason for paying alimony to a spouse, even after ending the marriage, is to provide financial support. This is relevant in cases where one of the spouses has a lower income bracket or has no income at all.
In some states of the United States, alimony is known as spousal support, which can be provided either to the wife or husband.
In a case where there are children involved, and it is a traditional heterosexual marriage, the husband is generally identified as the sole breadwinner.
Moreover, it has also been observed that many women tend to leave their employment for the purpose of raising children. When such a couple ends their marriage in divorce or separation, the wife is in a negative financial situation.
Laws in many states in the United States state that spouses have the right to maintain their lifestyle as that in marriage, even after a divorce or separation.
Alimony is often noted to be provided in long-term marriages like one that lasted for 10 years. This is stopped when the payer dies, remarries, or the court bans it.
Moreover, if the payer of the alimony refuses to pay, it could lead to criminal or civil charges being pressed against them.
Types Of Alimony
There are a variety of alimonies that can be paid to the spouse after the divorce.
The common types of alimonies are as follows:
- Temporary alimony
- Permanent alimony
- Rehabilitative alimony
- Reimbursement alimony
- Lump-sum alimony
Do You Need A Spousal Support Attorney?
The main reason you might need a spousal support attorney is if you are going through a divorce. Or you might also need one if your hired divorced attorney does not have specialization in spousal support.
Generally, most divorce lawyers cover the whole process of divorce for you, including spousal support.
But you are advised to ask questions to your divorce lawyer regarding the services that they provide and the ones that they do not.
This will assist you in effectively hiring an attorney that also provides services related to spousal support for your divorce proceedings.
Cost Of Hiring A Spousal Support Lawyer
Generally, spousal support lawyers are also considered divorce lawyers who have specialization in assisting the spousal support process.
The average hourly rate of a divorce lawyer in the United States is $270. The hourly rate of spousal support lawyers in the US varies from one state to another. Additionally, highly experienced spousal support lawyers are also known to charge more compared to the ones having less experience.
Moreover, the overall cost that might be incurred on you for the whole divorce process, including spousal support, is estimated at $11,300.
The total cost of hiring a spousal support lawyer depends on the complexity of the case. The cost rises due to factors like going into court trials due to either of the spouse not agreeing with the alimony amount.
Final Thoughts
Now you know the need for a spousal support lawyer in the process of a divorce.
We know that the process of going through a divorce is tough. Due to this, it is advised that you hire an experienced divorce lawyer from our inventory.
Our inventory has listed the best divorce attorneys specializing in spousal support to effectively guide you in the whole divorce process.
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