If you are contemplating divorce, you may be concerned about your obligation to pay, or your ability to receive, alimony, now known as spousal maintenance. Spousal maintenance is an amount of money that one party pays the other after a divorce. Maintenance may or may not be considered in your divorce. If it is, it can be permanent or temporary, depending on your particular circumstances.
Contemplating divorce? Contact Di Giacomo & Somers, L.L.C., in Northfield, Illinois, to learn more about your options. Our attorneys are skilled at litigation, collaboration and mediation. We will help you make the right decision for your divorce.
Spousal Maintenance Factors
In considering whether or not spousal maintenance is appropriate, the courts weigh a number of factors, including:
- The length of the marriage
- Age of the parties
- Whether or not a party gave up a job or career in order to raise the children
- What property exists outside the marriage
- Any child support award
- The health of the individuals
- The standard of living that existed during the marriage
Tax Consequences of Spousal Maintenance
Spousal maintenance can have a significant affect on a families' finances because it is deductible to the payor and taxable to the payee. Thus, if you receive maintenance, you may have a significant tax liability at the end of the year. This is a very complicated area of the law, and you need an experienced attorney to guide you through the process and help you come up with creative solutions that will maximize spousal support for both parties.
Northbrook Alimony Lawyers
We bring experience and compassion to the practice of law. Contact our Skokie spousal maintenance attorneys today to schedule a complementary, half-hour consultation. Call 847-999-4498.
