Experienced Spousal Support Attorney

spousal Support Lawyer in Palmdale

Under California law, spousal support is paid when one spouse earns more income than the other. Spousal support was formerly referred to as "alimony" under the fault based divorce system. It is often the biggest financial issue addressed in a divorce settlement and commonly the most contentious. At the Law Offices of John C. Bigler, we can provide you with our divorce attorney who is a Certified specialist in family law. We have extensive experience and knowledge of how the courts determine Spousal Support and can present highly skilled and supportive representation in your divorce settlement.

What is Spousal Support?

Spousal support is payment from one party to the other during and after divorce proceedings. California makes a distinction between long term and short term marriages at the 10 year mark. Support is paid for approximately half the length of the marriage in a short term marriage of less than 10 years. Spousal support can be paid for life if the marriage is 10 years or more and one party continues to have more income even if the parties are both retired.

Spousal support is paid while the matter is pending is called "temporary support" and is calculated by using a computer. "Long term support" is a support order that is ordered at the conclusion of the proceeding. Long term support orders are typically about 80 percent of the original temporary order. The Court is not allowed to use a computer program when calculating long term support. The Court must weigh all of the factors set forth in Family Code Section 4320.

Oftentimes, temporary alimony is a verbal arrangement between parties. However, having our qualified and proficient divorce attorney draw up a written agreement can help prevent legal headaches later in the process.

Contact a Certified Family Law Specialist Schedule a consultation with Attorney Bigler by calling (661) 368-1181

How Spousal Support is determined

When determining the amount of Spousal Support, California courts seek to maintain the standard of living established in the marriage. The judge will contemplate numerous factors when considering the amount and duration of spousal support.

Some of the factors used to estimate Spousal Support include:

  • Marketable skills of supported spouse along with the current job market
  • Length of the marriage
  • Financial resources of the supporting spouse
  • Health and age of each party
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Our Palmdale divorce lawyer is ready to represent you!

If are confused by the intricate process of Spousal Support assessment or any other matter relating to divorce, contact us to receive clear and valuable information on how we can best represent you.

Fill out our family law case evaluation form today!

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    Commonly Asked Questions

    • What is a first right of refusal?

      A first right of refusal in a family law context is the opportunity to care for your children when your ex is unavailable to care for them. Family code section 3040(a)(1) sets out the 'priorities' when a Court makes a custody order. The family code states that if both parents are adequate parents the court must order custody to both of them. The Court is forbidden from awarding custody to a third party in this circumstance.

      It is this 'parents get priority' policy that drives a first right of refusal order. The idea that if you are unable to care for your child due to work or other responsibilities, then you must offer the child to the other parent first before handing the child over to a third party for child care.

      The court typically sets a time limit (I recommend 6 hours or more) that you can be away from your children before having to offer the other party the opportunity to care for them. This is not a mandatory provision. The Court has the discretion to make this order only in appropriate circumstances.

    • Who can receive visitation rights?
      Visitation is ordered when it is the best interest of the child in California. Supervised visitation is imposed when one parent is abusive or neglectful to the children. Visitation can often be supervised by an agreed upon family member or a professional monitor if the parties cannot agree.
    • Who can receive spousal support?

      Spousal support, formerly known as alimony, is a set amount of money that is paid by one spouse to another in the case of divorce or a legal separation. Whether you are the husband or the wife, you can apply for spousal support, depending on certain factors. The purpose of alimony is to even out the financial futures of each party. We can fight for your right to spousal support or against the other party's request for spousal support.

    • What if I was married in another state but I want to file for divorce in California?
      If you and your spouse were married in another state, you can file for divorce in California. The only requirement is that either you or your spouse must have lived in the state for six months and in the United States for three months.
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