If you are going through a divorce in Phoenix and are negotiating spousal support, turn to the experienced attorneys of the 602 Law Firm for support. Spousal support, called spousal maintenance in Arizona, is money one spouse is ordered to pay the other by law during or at the completion of a divorce case. Spousal maintenance is a serious and often hotly contested issue in a divorce due to its impact on the financial future of both the payee and payor.
If you are preparing for or in the midst of a divorce where spousal maintenance is a concern, speak with a spousal support attorney at the 602 Law Group right away. Call us at 602-857-5000 or contact us online to get started today with Phoenix family law lawyer.
How The 602 Law Group Can Help in Your Spousal Support Case
Whether you are a potential payee or payor, you need to know your legal rights and obligations regarding spousal maintenance when divorcing your spouse. At the 602 Law Group, not only can one of our knowledgeable attorneys answer your questions and advise you of the impact of spousal support on your case, but they can also guide you through the larger divorce process.
The 602 Law Group is a full-service law firm focused on meeting your legal goals without accumulating the expense of other firms. We know how intimidating divorce and spousal support cases are and do not want you to face your legal battle alone.
Reach out to the 602 Law Group to learn more about our services and to schedule a confidential spousal maintenance consultation. If you’re dealing with a child support payment dispute, a Phoenix child support lawyer can help maximize your legal outcome.
Spousal Maintenance Considerations in Arizona
When a spouse requests spousal maintenance in Arizona, the court must first consider whether a spousal support award is appropriate. If so, then the court will move to the duration and amount of any spousal support award.
A spouse requesting support must prove one of the following to qualify:
- The spouse lacks sufficient property to provide for their own needs
- The spouse is unable to gain appropriate employment to be self-sufficient
- The spouse is the custodian of a young child and should not be expected to work
- The spouse contributed to the other spouse’s education such that it increased the other spouse’s income
- The marriage was of such a duration that the spouse is now too old to become financially self-sufficient through employment
The court will also consider whether the spouse-payor has the financial ability to pay spousal maintenance and maintain financial viability.
Amount and Duration of Spousal Support in Arizona
Arizona has an alimony statute to assist the court in determining the amount of spousal maintenance that is appropriate in a case. There are thirteen factors considered by the court.
These include:
- The marital standard of living
- The duration of the marriage
- The age, employment history, earning ability, and physical and emotional condition of the requesting spouse
- The ability of the payor spouse to meet their own needs while paying spousal support
- Each spouse’s financial resources and earning abilities
- The contribution of the requesting spouse to the earning ability of the payor spouse
- The extent to which the requesting spouse has reduced their income or career opportunities for the payor spouse
- Each spouse’s ability to contribute to any future educational costs of marital mutual children
- The requesting spouse’s financial resources given any marital property division, and their ability to independently meet their own financial needs
- The time needed for the requesting spouse to acquire sufficient education or training to become self-supporting
- Whether there was excessive or abnormal expenditures of community, joint, or other property held in common
- Health insurance costs of the spouses
- Actual damages and judgments from the criminal conviction(s) of either spouse in which the other spouse or a child was the victim
While the court considers the marital standard of living when making a spousal maintenance award, the payor spouse is not obligated to provide that standard of living to the payee spouse.
Modification or Termination of Spousal Maintenance in Arizona
Unless the parties agree otherwise, spousal maintenance may be modified upon one party’s showing of a substantial and continuing change in circumstances. Alimony terminates upon the death of either party or upon the receiving party’s remarriage unless otherwise stated in the Decree.
Contact an Experienced Phoenix Spousal Support Attorney Today
It is normal to worry about how a divorce will change your finances and standard of living. The best way to prepare for living without your spouse is to meet with a spousal support attorney to discuss Arizona’s spousal maintenance laws.
Call or contact the 602 Law Group today to get started with an experienced Phoenix spousal support attorney!