Breaking Down Alimony

Alimony is in place to financially assist a soon to be ex-spouse and by doing so, ensure their ability to live in a comparable economic living situation which was experienced during the marriage.

There are several different types of alimony that can come into play during divorce.

Temporary Alimony is a form of support where one spouse pays the other 'alimony' while the divorce case is pending and nothing is finalized. This support can be paid by court order and continues until the parties terminate it by law or by an agreement.

Permanent, Periodic Alimony is a form of support where one spouse pays 'alimony' to the other following the divorce. The amount can be set by court order or by an agreement of the parties. This alimony usually continues until the receiving party remarries, the paying party dies, or until the law or order of the Court ends it.

Rehabilitative Alimony is alimony that is paid to help the other spouse become self-supportive and is paid until a predetermined event occurs – such as graduation from a job training school or until a job is attained.

Lump sum alimony is the payment of a lump sum of alimony, either in one payment or over time until the total sum is paid.

Alimony can also be paid for a set amount of time.

The calculation of alimony should take into account the needs of the spouse receiving the alimony and the ability of the other spouse to pay.

One important thing to remember is that alimony can generally be deducted from the taxes of the spouse paying it and will have to be claimed by the spouse receiving it.

For more information or a free initial consultation you can call the Law Office of Steven Chroman at 661-414-7107 or visit www.chromanlaw.com.

This article was originally published in Santa Clarita Magazine as part of our firm’s mission to make family law information more accessible to the Santa Clarita community. Read the full feature and others at santaclaritamagazine.com.