Alimony Lawyer Morris County
Divorce cases often involve a variety of family law issues, one of which is alimony. Also known as spousal support, alimony refers to money one spouse pays the other during or after a divorce. This is usually only necessary if one spouse has a much higher income or earning capacity than the other, meaning the lower-earning spouse will struggle to pay their bills once the marriage ends.
If you’re unsure if you might have to pay alimony or qualify to receive it, you should seek legal representation for your alimony case. Skilled attorneys can determine if your New Jersey divorce case will involve spousal support, and they can help contest or adjust your payments if you’ve already been ordered to pay alimony to your former spouse.
At Edens Law Group, LLC, we have been practicing divorce and family law since 1994. Our longstanding presence and practice in this field have earned us a reputation for stellar service, abundant knowledge and experience, and aggressive litigation tactics when needed.
If you’re in search of trusted legal support, look no further than our legal team. Call our Morris County, New Jersey, law firm today for a one-hour strategy session with an experienced attorney.
Who Is Awarded Alimony in New Jersey?
Not every divorce case involves spousal support. In fact, most do not, as alimony is only ordered by a judge when divorcing spouses have a substantial difference in income or earning capacity. So, if you and your spouse earn about the same salary, you likely won’t have to consider alimony issues during your divorce.
However, alimony may be ordered if your spouse earns all or the vast majority of your household income. This is especially the case if you likely won’t be able to increase your income enough to pay your bills any time soon, whether due to a lack of job skills or education or because you must stay home to take care of dependents.
The judge will consider several details before ordering spousal support, with the following being some of the most important deciding factors:
- The length of the marriage
- Each spouse’s current and potential income
- The standard of living during the marriage
- Each spouse’s ability to earn an income based on their education, job skills, and job experience
- Each spouse’s assets and debts
- The age and physical and emotional health of each person
- Each person’s contributions to the marriage, including financial support, childcare, and home upkeep
- Parental responsibilities if the couple shares minor children
These and any other important details will be considered before court orders are given. A skilled attorney can review your unique circumstances and let you know if you’ll likely receive or pay spousal support. Just remember that alimony is not meant to punish or reward.
It is intended to help the parties live on a fair and equal basis until the lower-earning spouse can become financially independent. If you believe you would benefit from getting alimony after your divorce, contact our Morris County, NJ law office for legal advice.
What Are the Types of Alimony?
New Jersey law has established several different types of alimony to address the needs of the spouse who has little or no earning power or whose financial condition will suffer significantly due to the divorce. Each type of alimony is awarded for a different reason and can last for months or years based on the specific circumstances surrounding the divorce.
New Jersey allows judges to order the following types of alimony:
- Temporary alimony, which is awarded temporarily while the divorce is pending
- Limited duration alimony, which is awarded on a limited basis until the receiving spouse can become self-supporting
- Open durational alimony, which is awarded on a permanent basis, generally in alimony cases involving long-term marriages and where other factors support such an award
- Rehabilitative alimony, which is meant to provide financial resources for education or training that will lead to a new job or career
- Reimbursement alimony, which acts as reimbursement to a spouse who provided the necessary support for their partner to advance education or training in pursuit of a career
Courts can order one or a combination of support options to be paid on a monthly basis. Alimony can also be sought as a lump-sum payment, depending on the needs and wishes of the supported spouse. If you’re in the middle of divorce proceedings and want to know if you qualify for open durational alimony, limited duration alimony, rehabilitative alimony, or other alimony options, a skilled family law attorney can provide the answers you need.
Call our family law practice today to schedule a consultation with caring New Jersey divorce lawyers.
How Is Alimony Calculated?
Alimony determinations can be complex since judges don’t have a formula to use when calculating the amount one spouse should pay the other. In most cases, they consider the difference in income between the two spouses and award an amount that’s somewhere in the middle.
This amount is often based on the financial needs of the supported spouse and the amount the other spouse can afford to spend on their alimony obligation. Other details – such as the length of the marriage, division of assets, and standard of living – may also be considered when calculating alimony.
If you’re worried about how much the alimony payments will be, it may be best to discuss this with your spouse and attorneys outside the courtroom so you can agree on an amount that works for both of you. Experienced family lawyers can guide you through this process until you get a fair resolution that allows you and your spouse to negotiate rather than let a judge make this decision.
During this step in the divorce process, you might wonder how long the alimony obligation will last. This depends on the type of alimony involved in your case and how long the marriage lasted. In general, if the marriage lasted less than 20 years, alimony cannot be required for longer than the length of the marriage.
For long-term marriages that lasted over 20 years, the judge might order open durational alimony, which typically only ends once the receiving spouse retires or remarries.
Other types of alimony have different durations depending on the reason they were awarded. For example, limited duration alimony usually ends on the date set in court, which is meant to give the receiving spouse enough time to support themselves.
Similarly, rehabilitative alimony should end on the agreed-upon termination date. On the other hand, reimbursement alimony usually only ends when the specified expenses have been repaid, such as tuition or travel costs for which one spouse must reimburse the other.
While judges are expected to adhere to alimony laws in this state, they are allowed to consider the details of each case when making decisions on who pays alimony, how long it lasts, and how much the payments are. This is why you need the unwavering support of skilled family lawyers who will share their legal knowledge throughout your alimony case.
When you hire our experienced Morris County alimony attorney, you’ll have caring family lawyers on your side keeping your best interests in mind while negotiating alimony and other family law issues. Call our Morris County, NJ, law firm today to learn more.
Understanding Marital Property in New Jersey
Marital property refers to the assets and debts acquired by either spouse during the course of the marriage. Under New Jersey law, marital property is subject to equitable distribution during a divorce, meaning it is divided fairly, though not necessarily equally, between the spouses. This includes real estate, bank accounts, retirement plans, vehicles, and other valuables obtained while married.
Determining what qualifies as marital property can be complex, especially when distinguishing it from separate property, which includes assets owned prior to the marriage or received as gifts or inheritances. Our experienced Morris County alimony attorneys can help you identify and value marital assets to ensure a fair division.
Proper handling of marital property is crucial as it impacts property settlements and can influence alimony awards. Whether you are negotiating a divorce agreement or navigating the mediation process, understanding your rights and obligations concerning marital property is essential for achieving financial stability after divorce.
If you have questions about marital property or need assistance with property division, contact our law firm for a free consultation. We are dedicated to protecting your interests in this and other family law matters.
Why Should You Hire Our Morris County Alimony Attorneys?
You deserve to feel fully prepared for your divorce case, whether it’s taking place in mediation sessions, the Superior Court, or the Supreme Court. This starts with understanding your legal options and the factors that the courts will review to determine alimony, which our divorce attorneys would be happy to assist with.
When you hire Edens Law Group, LLC, you can rest assured that you will get the answers and legal support you need from compassionate Morris County alimony attorneys. We’ll guide you on important family law matters, such as alimony, child custody, equitable distribution, property division, and other aspects of the divorce process.
Call our New Jersey law office to speak to family law attorneys who have extensive experience with the legal process of divorce and a commitment to client satisfaction.
