Alimony / Spousal Support

Experienced Divorce Lawyers
Alimony (also called spousal support) is not granted automatically. The decision to order alimony is based on a number of factors, most significant being the number of years of a marriage and whether there is a disparity of income between the two parties.

If the parties entered into a prenuptial agreement before the marriage, that is likely to be a controlling factor in the determination. Though in some cases a patently unfair prenuptial agreement can be reviewed by a family court judge and set aside.

Your divorce attorney can play a significant role in presenting evidence of the need for alimony or in explaining circumstances that should limit alimony. In all cases, your attorney is here to protect your financial interests and your future.

Backed by a network of financial professionals, the divorce lawyers at the law offices of Raipher, P.C. are well prepared to assist high income clients with complex estates.

A lump sum payment, a larger share of a significant and irreplaceable asset (such as a home or share in an income-producing business), or ongoing financial support – these are questions that clients must consider when determining whether they want to seek alimony. In some cases, they may prefer another option.

We will help you consider the pros and cons of different settlement options, as well as the tax implications of asset division and of spousal support.

While personal income is clear for most wage earners, it can become quite complicated in the case of independent business owners and high-paid executives with complex compensation packages. Our divorce attorneys work with financial analysts to determine current and future values of executive compensation, such as stock options. We work with forensic accountants when needed to tease apart company income and assets from personal income.