Learn about spousal support from a divorce lawyer in Chicago

When divorce occurs, typically, one spouse is left without a way of making a living to provide for himself or herself and any children produced during the course of the marriage. When this happens, the spouse can request spousal support from their soon-to-be former partner.

What is spousal support?

Spousal support is also known as alimony or maintenance, and is financial support awarded to a spouse after the dissolution of a marriage. The spousal support is meant to allow a spouse to continue living at a level to which they are accustomed. Typically, a wife who has left her career to care for the children born during the marriage is unable to enter the workforce immediately. Therefore, she needs spousal support to pay her bills and maintain her level of comfortable living until she finds a job or remarries (the details will be stipulated in the spousal support documentation prior to the finalization of the divorce).

Spousal support is different from child support; spousal support is specifically meant to support the former spouse, whereas child support is an additional payment meant to support the needs of the children.

What spousal support includes

Spousal support is awarded based on spousal income, length of the marriage, amount of time spent caring for the home or children, and current living standard. For a spouse who is accustomed to living with a monthly income of $5,000, it will be difficult to pay the same amount of bills with an income drastically smaller than that. Spousal support can pay for anything the spouse needs to live comfortably after the termination of the marriage.

Obtaining spousal support can be difficult since many income-generating spouses do not want to continue providing a living to the person whom they are divorcing, but it can be won if the divorce lawyer in Chicago is a skilled and experienced legal communicator. To learn more about spousal support, whether you can get it, have to pay it, or are entitled to it, contact the legal offices of Mr. Corey M. Bandes and his highly qualified staff.