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Spousal Support Process in Hartford

If you are considering dissolving your marriage with your spouse but are concerned that you will not have the financial support you need, securing alimony during the pendency of the divorce and thereafter can enable you to pursue your goals.

Understanding the spousal support process in Hartford can be essential to your divorce proceedings. Let an experienced alimony attorney assist you in providing the necessary documentation and evidence you need.

Awarding Spousal Support

In Hartford, the process of awarding spousal support begins by analyzing the factors that are laid out in the state statute, which include the length of the marriage, the net income, earning capacities and needs of both parties, and their assets. Spousal support may generally be awarded in long-term marriages involving children. However, a variety of different factors could affect a spousal support order following a divorce. Some of those factors include the following:

  • Each spouse’s net income or earning capacity
  • Health
  • Vocational abilities
  • Educational degrees
  • Financial needs
  • Relative fault in the breakdown of the marriage

Once awarded, spousal support payments last as long as the ordered term, dictated by a divorce agreement or court judgment, requires and is set depending on each party’s needs and abilities. Spousal support terms are non-modifiable unless either party dies, the receiving party gets remarried, the receiving party begins to cohabitate with another individual that would improve their financial circumstances, or the terms of the spousal support award specifically makes the alimony term modifiable upon the happening of a particular circumstance. However, the amount of alimony is typically modifiable based upon the showing of a substantial change in circumstances.

Spousal Support in Court

When a case is highly contested, third-party experts and witnesses typically come in to testify. Their role is to weigh in on topics such as earning capacity, any health condition that could impact a party’s ability to work, and any financial needs that should be considered in determining the spousal support amount. In those cases, an experienced attorney could help anticipate what experts and witnesses to utilize in the case and properly prepare a spouse to provide the necessary evidence for their claim.

Even after the finalization of a divorce, there are circumstances that could change the eligibility for spousal support. For example, if the party who is receiving spousal support obtained employment that increases their earning capacity, their support could change. An individual’s support payments could also be modified if they are able to return to work after their children turn 18 or if they had a health condition that is no longer preventing them from working. Likewise, if the paying spouse’s income decreases, they may have a basis to seek a reduction in their alimony obligation.

Let an Attorney Prepare You for the Spousal Support Process in Hartford

Going through the spousal support process in Hartford may be complex, but you should not have to go through it alone. Having legal counsel to assist you in anticipating your financial needs before going to court can be beneficial to reaching your spousal support goals.

Call the firm to schedule a consultation to discuss your spousal support claim today. We are standing by to begin building your case.

Connecticut Family Lawyer | CT Family Law | Dolan Family Attorneys N/a
100 Pearl St Suite 1454 Hartford CT 06103 (860) 850-2702