Lombard, IL Spousal Support Lawyers

Experienced Attorneys Helping Divorcing Spouses Address Spousal Support in Lombard, Illinois

Spousal maintenance, which is also known as spousal support or alimony, may be a factor in certain divorce cases. If maintenance is awarded, one party will be required to provide financial assistance to their former spouse, ensuring that they will be able to meet their ongoing needs. Whether you are seeking maintenance or being asked to pay, it is important to understand how Illinois courts evaluate these requests. By working with an experienced lawyer, you can make sure your financial interests will be protected during your divorce.

At A. Traub & Associates, our attorneys can help address issues related to spousal maintenance and other factors that may affect your divorce. We will work to ensure that support awards are fair and appropriate while following the guidelines detailed in Illinois law. With our help, you can take steps to address financial concerns and make sure you will be prepared for success once your divorce has been finalized.

The Purpose of Spousal Maintenance

Spousal support is meant to ensure that both spouses can maintain financial stability after divorce. Each party should be able to maintain a standard of living that is similar to what they experienced while they were married, but this can be difficult when there is a significant disparity between the parties in terms of earning capacity or financial resources. Support payments from one spouse to another can help ensure that the lower-earning spouse will be able to meet their ongoing needs.

Examples of situations where maintenance may be awarded include:

• One spouse left the workforce during their marriage so that they could focus on raising children and managing household responsibilities. Before they will be able to support themselves on their own, they may need assistance so they can pursue an education or acquire job skills.
• One spouse may have supported the other spouse's career or education. Their efforts may have included financial contributions, personal assistance, and handling household responsibilities so that the other spouse could focus on their career. If the other spouse now earns a much higher income due to their former partner's support, they may be required to pay maintenance to make up for the disparity in the parties' incomes.
• Over the course of a long-term marriage, one spouse may have become financially dependent on the other. If a spouse has been a stay-at-home parent and has not worked outside the home for an extended period of time, they may qualify for long-term support to ensure that their needs will be addressed.

Types of Spousal Maintenance in Illinois

Illinois courts may award different types of maintenance depending on the circumstances of a marriage and divorce:

• Fixed-Term Maintenance: In most cases, spousal support is paid for a specific period, giving the receiving spouse time to become self-sufficient. At the end of the term, maintenance will end automatically.
• Reviewable Maintenance: Spousal support may be awarded for a limited amount of time, and it will be subject to review at the end of the term. The court will determine whether continued maintenance is necessary based on the receiving spouse's progress toward financial independence.
• Indefinite Maintenance: In cases involving long-term marriages of 20 years or more or situations where one spouse has a disability or other issues that prevent them from working, spousal support may be ordered without a set end date. Indefinite maintenance is more likely to be awarded in cases where a spouse is at an advanced age, has health issues, or may not be able to become self-supporting due to other factors.

Factors Considered in Spousal Maintenance Decisions

When deciding whether maintenance is appropriate, several factors may be considered, such as:

• The amount of time the parties were married.
• The age, health, and earning capacity of each spouse.
• The contributions of each spouse to the marriage, including homemaking and supporting the other spouse's career.
• The time needed for the receiving spouse to obtain education, training, or employment.
• Any valid agreements between the spouses, such as prenuptial or postnuptial agreements.
• The income and property of each spouse, including marital and non-marital assets.

Illinois law provides a formula that is used to calculate the amount of support that one spouse will pay to the other. This formula will factor the incomes of each spouse into the calculations. The duration of maintenance will also be calculated based on the length of the marriage. These formulas will be used in most cases, although they may not apply in some high net worth divorces. Our attorneys can provide guidance to make sure all relevant financial factors will be considered when making spousal support calculations.

Contact Our Lombard Spousal Maintenance Attorneys

Whether you are seeking spousal support or are facing a request to provide financial assistance to your former spouse, the attorneys at A. Traub & Associates will work to ensure that your rights will be protected. We will advocate for solutions that will provide you with the financial resources you need going forward. Contact our Lombard, IL spousal support lawyers at 630-426-0196 to set up a consultation and get legal assistance with all of the issues you may face during your divorce.