Alimony With Child Support In Contra Costa
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FAQ
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.
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.
The guideline states that the paying spouse's support be presumptively 40% of his or her net monthly income, reduced by one-half of the receiving spouse's net monthly income. If child support is an issue, spousal support is calculated after child support is calculated.
Child support is never deductible and isn't considered income. Additionally, if a divorce or separation instrument provides for alimony and child support, and the payer spouse pays less than the total required, the payments apply to child support first. Only the remaining amount is considered alimony.
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.
Since the goal is to protect mutual standards of living, if your ex remarries or finds themselves once again in a steady double-income household, you may no longer be required to maintain or begin alimony payments.
The key factors analyzed in an alimony decision are each spouse's income, ability to earn and standards of living established during the marriage. If there is a history of violence, abuse or certain criminal convictions, however, this could bar a spouse from receiving alimony payments under California law.
Misconduct: Certain behaviors can also lead to the disqualification of alimony. For instance, if a spouse is found to have engaged in financial misconduct, such as hiding assets or failing to disclose financial information during the divorce proceedings, this can result in disqualification.
