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.
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 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.
40% of the high earner's net monthly income minus 50% of the low earner's net monthly income. For instance, if Spouse A earns $5,000 per month and Spouse B earns $2,500 per month, temporary spousal support might be calculated as follows: 40% of $5,000 = $2,000. 50% of $2,500 = $1,250.
There is no minimum marriage length to qualify for alimony, but the easier it is for the lower-earning spouse to become self-sufficient, the less support they may receive.
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.
California Alimony 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.
Specifically in California, disqualification might result from several key factors. One such factor is a significant change in the financial status of the recipient spouse, such as acquiring a new job or receiving an inheritance, which could render them financially independent and no longer in need of support.
California doesn't use a "calculator" for determining the amount of long-term spousal support. Instead, judges must decide how much to award after they've considered all of the following circumstances: each spouse's needs, based on the standard of living they had during the marriage.