If you rely exclusively on your spouse financially, you may qualify for alimony

Just like parents have a legal obligation to support their children, each spouse has a legal obligation to support their partner. During a marriage, spouses make economic decisions — such as one parent leaving the workforce to raise children — that can diminish the ability of that spouse to earn a living after a divorce. Alimony, or spousal support, is a one spouse’s obligation to support their economically disadvantaged spouse. Unlike child support, there is no hard and fast way to calculate spousal support amounts under Iowa law — the award depends on the situation, the lawyers and the judge. That’s why you need a smart, experienced attorney on your side to get the best outcome.

Spousal support is not a right like child support. It is only granted in specific circumstances where one spouse has significantly greater earning power than the other, and the couple has been married long enough to have established patterns of behavior and work that will be difficult or unlikely to change in the future.

Significant changes to the federal tax code have upended the tax consequences of alimony, particularly for the paying spouse. This means that legal advice is essential to paying and receiving a fair alimony award — advice like you can receive from Legue Law.

Contact Legue Law today by using the form below or by calling (563) 293-3113 to discuss your spousal support options and plan for the best possible outcome.