It is well known that divorce is a challenging and complex process rife with tension, anger, and sadness. Alimony, also known as spousal support, is an especially contentious subject in many divorce cases. If you are pursuing a divorce, consult with a Texas divorce attorney to ensure your rights remain protected throughout the process and that the settlement you eventually reach with your spouse is as reasonable and fair as possible. 

Determining Alimony in Texas

In Texas, alimony is spousal support that is court-ordered, and that one party pays to their spouse if they get divorced. In the state of Texas, there are three primary forms of alimony. The first is temporary spousal support for when the divorce has yet to be completed. The next is contractual alimony, which you and your spouse figure out outside the court. The third type of alimony in Texas is court-appointed spousal maintenance after the finalized divorce. Typically, the court determines which party is required to compensate their spouse with alimony and will determine the amount that must be paid.

There are many factors that must be taken into consideration when figuring out alimony. These factors include:

Divorce is never easy, but one of the trickiest and most emotional aspects of any divorce is dividing financial assets. When you are married to an individual for any great length of time, you work together to make your current lifestyle possible. For some, this means giving up a career entirely to help raise a family. For others, it means relocating to an entirely new part of the country where friends and family can only be reached by phone or email, if it means a better paying job for the working spouse. For others still, it means putting their own education on hold while their spouse pursues their educational goals first.

For many couples, this sort of give-and-take works well, as it allows both individuals to contribute to the relationship and family unit in a way that makes sense for the time being. However, when that same couple decides to part ways before the second spouse has a chance to pursue certain goals, all that sacrifice they made seems fruitless, as now they are left with no financial support, and no real job experience to list on their resume. Which leads to the big question: is that spouse entitled to spousal support?

Determining Alimony Eligibility in Texas