How is maintenance established in a Louisville divorce case? The determination of maintenance (sometimes referred to as “spousal support” or “alimony”) in divorce cases throughout the Louisville area is quite complex. Several factors determine if and when maintenance is to be awarded and the amount and duration of support itself. Some of the questions surrounding the need for maintenance include, but are not limited to:
- How long did the marriage last?
- How old is each spouse?
- What is the health status of each spouse?
- What was the standard level of lifestyle during the recent years of marriage?
- Did either party give up a career to raise children, manage the household, or work to support a spouse as they complete education or professional certification
- What is each person’s work experience and education?
- How likely is it that each can become self-sufficient? How long will that process take?
While child support is based upon an established guideline calculator and known factors, the need for, duration, and amount of maintenance is more challenging to precisely quantify. Maintenance or spousal support may be the result of negotiations between the parties, maintenance, or an order from the Judge in your case after a hearing on the matter.
Once the need for, amount, and duration of support is met and the issue of maintenance established in a Louisville divorce case, the Judge often issues instructions or orders to the recipient to let them know (in most cases) that support will not last forever, or until death or remarriage. In fact, our Family Court Judges often establish a timeframe for the recipient to become self-sufficient. This period will be longer when the underlying marriage has lasted more than 10 years or when one party has made substantial sacrifice to support the other, raise children, and manage the household.
How is maintenance established in a Louisville divorce case? The highly experienced Louisville divorce and family law attorneys at Dodd & Dodd provide sound insight and guidance while we work to meet our clients’ goals in areas such as maintenance / spousal support.
If you are concerned about spousal maintenance, business or professional practice ownership or any other issue related to a Louisville divorce call 502-584-1108 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced attorneys.
