Alimony

Alimony, also known as spousal support or spousal maintenance, is paid by one spouse to the other to prevent a major lifestyle change from occurring following a divorce. At the law offices of Jonathan D. Katz, we have over 36 years of experience protecting the lifestyles our clients have grown accustomed to throughout their marriage. Whether you are the spouse obligated to pay or the spouse receiving the support in Ulster County, NY, or the surrounding communities in New York, Mr. Katz will fight for your best interests.

Alimony is not guaranteed in every divorce settlement. However, it’s often the cause of many heated disputes. It is especially important to have a skilled attorney on your side in order to prevent long, drawn-out conflict when discussing topics such as alimony or equitable distribution of assets and debts. It is not uncommon for couples to believe they are in agreement over spousal support issues, only to find that what they had verbally agreed to will have a negative impact on their quality of life. You can rely on Mr. Katz to work hard to advance your case, protect your interests and prevent a discussion from advancing into a battle.

Alimony is not always awarded on a long-term basis. At the beginning of the divorce process, a dependent spouse is often in need of temporary spousal support in order to continue paying bills and maintain a reasonable standard of living. Once a divorce is finalized, a spousal support order may remain in effect permanently, or it may be divorce or terminated.

If you are the recipient of spousal support, hiring an experienced family law attorney is crucial to ensuring that you are properly provided for during the short term or long term, depending on your circumstances.

If you are the party responsible for paying support, Mr. Katz can make sure you aren’t forced to pay more, or longer, than what is customary and reasonable. In the case of long term marriages, spousal support obligations may continue until retirement, or beyond. With over 36 years of matrimonial law experience, the family law offices of Jonathan D. Katz have handled extremely challenging alimony and spousal support cases, as well as enforcement actions.

Failing to pay alimony is usually considered with facts specific to your situation. The most severe penalties are utilized to penalize those who can afford to, but choose not to, pay alimony. If you have simply missed one or more payments due to a reasonable circumstances such as time or paperwork errors, you are more likely to be forgiven. However, if you fail to pay or notify the court that you cannot afford your payment, it indicates a lack of credibility and a possible attempt to deceive your former spouse. Making an effort to contact the court and your former spouse shows the court that you are honest and doing your best to avoid penalties.

Many people do not understand alimony until they are faced with paying or receiving it. There are multiple kinds of alimony and many factors determining whether or not it should be paid, how much should be paid, and how long the duration of payments should last. Some of the criteria used are listed below:

• Length of marriage
• Financial need
• Ability to pay
• Standard of living established during the marriage
• Earning capability
• The property received by each spouse in the divorce

For all spousal support questions, including enforcement and modification, contact the law offices Jonathan D. Katz for a no-cost, confidential consultation. Request your consultation by calling (845) 834-4747 or toll-free (866) 614-8872 or fill out our convenient online contact form.