For many divorcing couples, alimony is part of the division of property. This payment is designed to prevent the standard of living from significantly declining for an ex-spouse who is not self-supporting. Unfortunately, it can place extreme financial hardship on the paying ex. If the marriage lasted long enough, a former spouse may wind up paying alimony for life. Learn more about how a lawyer can assist in contesting alimony.
Help with Alimony
Though few can argue the helpfulness of this financial support from a temporary standpoint, excessive payments or those lasting forever can be extreme. Exes paying alimony may encounter their own financial hardship in the future due to unemployment, health issues, or other unexpected situations. Some are pushed into bankruptcy due to events that make alimony payments unaffordable.
Those who manage to start a new life may find themselves paying more alimony after remarrying because the new wife adds income. These situations make an already unpleasant situation nearly unbearable. When an ex-spouse begins to feel the injustice of paying alimony, it is time to consult a lawyer to see what can be done. Help from this legal expert may make it possible to decrease or put an end to alimony payments.
Divorce and property division decisions are not easy and situations can change. A lawyer for marital property helps a client determine whether the amount and duration of alimony are still feasible. Many former spouses do not realize that they are paying too much money or paying it for longer than necessary. A lawyer can prepare a case to fight alimony payments so the client is not unduly burdened financially.
Lawyers and advocates have made huge progress in alimony reform. In September 2011, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed an alimony reform bill that put an end to lifetime alimony. The new law, which went into effect in March 2012, gives structure and consistency to alimony determinations. It provides reasonable terms, adjusts payments due to changing situations, and stops alimony obligations at full retirement age.
This law illustrates that lawyers can make a difference when it comes to alimony. A lawyer for marital property can prevent clients from paying excessively. The attorney can also help clients fight alimony when it is not justified. Without help from this legal professional, many alimony payers could find themselves worse off financially than their exes receiving these payments. Taking action before things reach crisis stage will prevent permanent financial ruin and make a bright future possible for both individuals.
