As a woman, it is not uncommon to be asked to stay at home to care for your family while your husband goes to work and earns money to support you. When you get divorced, suddenly losing financial support from your spouse can devastate your life and leave you in financial ruin. By staying home with your family, you lost valuable time in the job market getting experience, and you may have a difficult time suddenly finding a job while still taking care of your family.
To help, you can receive California spousal support payments. These payments are meant to help you financially until you are able to have the same quality of life you had in your marriage without help from your ex-husband.
Here are the top seven factors that go into determining the amount of California alimony you will receive:
- Length of your marriage. Shorter marriage lengths mean shorter California alimony payouts. For marriages over 10 years, you can receive permanent alimony, which covers you until you can support yourself again.
- The earning ability of both people. If you are able to provide for yourself, it is possible that you will not receive any alimony.
- The opportunity to seek employment. For women with children to care for, seeking employment or full-time employment is not always an option. This can help you get more spousal support.
- The age and health of both parties. If you are unable to work because of a disability, you may be able to receive more spousal support or long-term spousal support.
- The standard of living held during the marriage. Your marital standard of living should be maintained even after the divorce. For this reason, the standard of living shared by you and your spouse during the marriage impacts how much you will receive in alimony in California.
- The education and skillset of both parties. Your education or past work experience is what determines your ability to find a job. If you are highly skilled, you may be expected to find a job faster and therefore receive less in spousal support.
- History of domestic violence. Domestic violence impacts a person in a number of ways. If you were ever harmed in your marriage, you may be eligible for more in spousal support.
Filing for spousal support in California is complex. If you are in the process of getting a divorce, you may need the help of a San Francisco spousal support attorney. Contact the Law Offices of Paul H. Nathan to put someone on your side who knows the system and will advocate for you to receive the amount of alimony you deserve.
