California Spousal Support

Spousal Support In California

Spousal support, a phrase that is interchangeable with the term ‘alimony,’ is a monthly payment made from one spouse to the other after divorce. The purpose of spousal support/alimony is to ensure that the supported spouse may maintain the standard of living that they may have grown accustomed to during marriage. While tabloids and television may portray spousal support as a vengeful tool used by a spiteful spouse, its proper use is to help spouses entering the workforce after a lengthy period of time fulfill their living expenses until they attain a sustainable income.

Understanding California Spousal Support Guidelines

If you are about to go through a divorce and are concerned about spousal support, also known as alimony-either paying or receiving-there are a few things that you should know. If you are looking for a full rundown of all the particulars and intricacies that go into deciding spousal support in California, our divorce guide is a great resource. In it you will find a very expansive section that discusses everything that you need to know about support. To give you a quick and easy breakdown of the spousal support guidelines, below you will find the most basic and necessary information.

Understanding Alimony in California

One of the biggest areas of concern when going through a divorce is how much, and how long alimony will be awarded for. Alimony, also known as a spousal support award, is not a light decision. There are several factors that go into determining what the alimony payment will ultimately be when filing for divorce in California.

Will Spousal Support be paid in my Divorce Case?

Is Spousal Support Required?

Spousal support is not always required. When spousal support is required, it is determined by a number of factors. Ultimately, spousal support is at the court’s discretion as required by the dictates of justice and equity; however, generally spousal support seeks to maintain the standard of living established during the marriage until that spouse is self-supporting. Generally support is granted for a reasonable period of time, which is defined as one-half of the length of the marriage with an exception for marriages of especially long duration. Marriages of long duration are ten years long and may require support indefinitely. If the court finds that the former spouse is not taking steps to become self-supporting, the court may end the support payments.

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