Bringing Fairness To The Alimony Payment Process

Spousal support (also known as alimony) is supposed to allow the less well-off spouse to live a similar quality of life as he or she did during the marriage. There are no clear-cut guidelines in Georgia as to when or how much alimony is appropriate. At The Law Office of Ashley McCartney, LLC, we take this financial need into consideration as part of your final divorce decree. If you need spousal support after your divorce because you have been a homemaker for much of your marriage or you are unemployed, our Atlanta alimony attorney will help you petition for it and negotiate with your spouse.

How The Alimony Process Works

Alimony is not automatic as part of a divorce. It is usually given as either an agreement between the couple or is left up to the discretion of a Georgia family court judge. Factors that are considered include:

• The income disparity between the two parties
• The duration of the marriage
• Each person’s contribution to the marriage, including homemaking
• The less well-off spouse’s current employment status and future employability
• One spouse supporting the other during the pursuit of an education

While the decision may ultimately be up to a judge, the reality of the situation is that alimony is decided based upon the needs of the spouse requesting the support versus the ability of the other spouse to pay. It is unreasonable to expect your ex-spouse who makes close to equal the amount you do to pay spousal support. However, if you are a stay-at-home parent and your spouse has a high-paying job, it may be seen in a more favorable light.

Our lawyer sits down with you to evaluate your financial situation and determine what your needs are. We look at your potential property division settlement and balance that against your alimony request. We are honest with you about the probability of receiving alimony in your case, and we work diligently to make sure your needs are met.

Helping You Get Back On Your Feet Following A Divorce

Call us, or contact us, so you can come in and talk about what happened and what needs to happen now. We shoulder the legal burden so that you can move forward. We accept credit cards for payment. Call us at 404-874-0240.