Denton Divorce Lawyer

Types of Alimony

In a marriage, one spouse may be responsible for working and providing financial support for the family, whereas the other spouse may be in charge of running the home and taking care of the children while providing emotional support to the working partner. Thus, if the marriage dissolves, one partner may not have the experience or background to provide for him or herself.

In cases like this, a judge may order the working partner to pay the other one alimony after a divorce. While alimony is becoming slightly less common due to the prevalence of both couples working in a marriage, there are still times when alimony is necessary.

Basic Forms of Alimony

A court may order for the financial provider to pay the other partner one of three types of alimony. The three forms of alimony, based upon the frequency of payment, include:

• Temporary – this form of payment is often ordered when the domestic partner has the potential to get a job but needs some training to get to that point. The temporary alimony may be used for training or additional education necessary for the domestic partner to gain employment to provide for him or herself.
• Lump sum – as the name implies, this is a one-time payment ordered by the court. While this may at first seem convenient, both members of the dividing couple may be hesitant of the taxes that apply.
• Permanent – permanent alimony means that one partner must provide regular payments to the other, with no definite end. However, circumstances may change, and the financially providing partner may go to court to get the ruling changed.

If you or someone you love is getting a divorce, you may have to deal with paying or requesting alimony. Because there are pros and cons to each type of alimony, you should speak to a lawyer about your best option.

Contact Us

For more information regarding alimony as well as other divorce-related topics, contact the Denton divorce attorneys of Alexander & Associates today at 972-420-6560.