Alimony has its benefits for the spouse who stayed at home. However, if you are the paying party, continuing to financially support your ex might not be the most exciting thought.
When you understand spousal support and how to manage your obligations, you can determine a good strategy going forward.
Determining alimony payments
The court will assess various factors of your marriage to determine a need for spousal support. This could include the following:
- The length of the relationship
- The standard of living during the marriage
- Each party’s earning power
- The education level of both parties
In situations where you earned most of the money and your ex stayed at home, it is likely that you will need to pay alimony. According to Virginia State Law, the court may lump spousal support payments into a large, one-time sum or require you to pay it out over a specified time.
Requesting a modification
Sometimes, you may feel as though your ex no longer needs the alimony money you pay each month. This could happen as the result of a new job, a remarriage or other changes. Similarly, if you lose your job, you may not have the finances to support another person. In any of these situations, you can request a modification of the former order.
Your diligence in honoring the terms of your alimony agreement can help you maintain a good reputation with the court. However, if at any time you feel an unfair balance, you have the right to request changes so you can retain as much of your income as possible.
