Alimony With Child Support In Utah
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In Utah, the law mandates that the judge may order alimony only up to the number of years that the marriage lasted. So if the couple was married for 17 years, the support can last up to 17 years. Any extension will be at the discretion of the family court.
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.
Utah law spells out a number of factors that judges must consider when they're deciding whether to award alimony and, if so, how much and for how long. Judges may also consider the spouse's wrongful conduct, including adultery. (Utah Code § 81-4-502 (2024).)
Some reasons why an ex-spouse might not be entitled to receive alimony include: The ex-spouse does not meet the legally required level of financial need. You are not financially able to provide alimony to your ex-spouse. Your ex-spouse is at fault for the divorce, due to having an affair or another cause.
Unlike child support in Utah, there is no formula for judges to use to calculate alimony in a divorce. Instead, judges base support amounts on the above factors and any other relevant circumstances in each case.
The court considers the following factors when deciding whether to award alimony: The standard of living during the marriage. This includes income, value of real and personal property, and any other factor that the court thinks is important for understanding how the parties lived during their marriage.
Most alimony payments in Utah are periodic (monthly) and due on the first of every month unless the court orders otherwise. Most judges include an income withholding order for alimony, which directs the paying spouse's employer to withhold the payments from the employee's paycheck and forward it directly to the court.
