What do I do if I want alimony? You can ask for alimony as part of a divorce proceeding. If you and your spouse reach an agreement about alimony, you can ask the judge to make the agreement a part of the court order. If you cannot reach an agreement, the judge will decide whether you are entitled to alimony.
The person asking for alimony must show the court that he or she needs financial support, and that the other spouse has the ability to provide financial support.
Child support and spousal support are handled in Family Court. Parents must financially support their child until the child turns 21 years old or is emancipated. You can go to Family Court for a court order for child support from the other parent.
How is the Amount of Alimony Determined? Supporting Spouse's Ability to Pay. The Best Interest of Children. The Lenght of a Marriage. The Ability to Earn. Standard of Living the Spouses Maintained During the Marriage. Educational or Emotional Support.
California determines alimony based on the recipient's “marital standard of living,” which aims to allow the spouse to continue living in a similar manner as during the marriage.
Filing for child support To initiate a request for child support without filing for divorce, you would typically start by establishing paternity (if necessary) and then filing a petition for child support with the family court.
Go to your local child support office and make application for child support. They will take care of all the details. They may request information from you to support your claim, but that would be true in any case.
The Guidelines set a minimum child support amount of $91.00 per child per month.