Santa Clarita Spousal Support Attorney
Seeking alimony in Valencia, California?
If you are entering into a California divorce, it is likely that one of the most prominent questions that you are asking yourself is in regards to spousal support (also known as alimony) payments. In the state of California, there is no set number for how much will be paid, instead there are certain factors that will be taken into consideration to ensure that each case is given a unique and personalized answer.
The factors that affect spousal support include:
- The duration of the marriage;
- What each party needs (ex: standard of living);
- What each party pays & can pay;
- Whether employment would affect the children;
- The health and age of both parties;
- Any debts owed and/or property owned;
- Whether one party helped the other (ex: get a career);
- Whether there was an occurrence of domestic violence;
- Whether the marriage affected one party's career; and
- The overall tax impact of the spousal support
By helping to look into all of these factors, the court will be able to come to a number that best suits each marriage and every party involved. Unfortunately, while a necessity, there are a lot of ways that spousal support can become grossly unfair. No matter whether you are being asked to pay too much or if you are not being offer enough to survive, you can trust in the Santa Clarita divorce lawyers from our firm.
What happens if spousal support payments fall behind schedule?
At Cutter & Lax, we know that life sometimes gets in the way of good intentions. Even if you intend to make the proper spousal support payments in a timely fashion, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will happen without a hitch. That, however, doesn't mean that there are no consequences. Once a spousal support agreement has been made, it officially becomes what is known as a "court order." This means that the order is ordering you, or your spouse, to make an alimony payment – it's not optional in any fashion.
When an individual falls behind on spousal support payments, they will be required to pay 10 percent interest per year on the remaining balance. This is not something that is determined by the judge – but by law. In cases where an individual owes arrears as it relates to past-due spousal support payments, it is possible that you will be required to pay more each month than typical; in some cases, your wages may even be garnished. Should the court deem that you are financially able to pay support but are simply choosing to not pay, you will be found to be in "contempt of court," which can result in consequences such as jail.
If you are being accused of falling behind payments, or if you are suffering from not receiving the payments which you are owed, then you should not hesitate to get the involvement of our firm as soon as possible. We know the laws which you are facing and will do everything that we can to help you find a just resolution. We know that this is a complex situation and will do everything possible to help protect your legal rights.
Contact Santa Clarita Alimony Lawyers, Cutter & Lax
At Cutter & Lax, we know how much is on the line with any given family law case - especially in regards to alimony. You can trust that we will do everything possible to help our clients to seek the just outcome that they deserve. Give our firm a call today at (818) 839-2533 to schedule your initial case consultation.
