Murfreesboro TN Alimony Attorney
In a perfect world, it would be possible for former spouses to make a clean break from each other financially once the court dissolved their marriage. In fact, this is the goal of Tennessee’s equitable distribution laws. Some couples can agree on a division of property scheme where they can both keep a comparable lifestyle to what they had during the marriage. This is easiest to achieve when both spouses work full-time or when the lower-income spouse may keep a valuable asset, such as the marital home, but still has enough income to afford to keep it. When one spouse is out of the workforce during the marriage, the court may impute an earning ability if they are healthy enough to work and has not reached retirement age. Even if you to return to the workforce after your divorce, you might still be entitled to alimony from your ex-spouse. A Murfreesboro divorce lawyer can help you get the alimony you need during and after your divorce.
Alimony Before and After a Divorce Becomes Final
The most common type of alimony that the family law courts of Tennessee order is called pendente lite alimony, sometimes also called temporary alimony. This type of alimony award automatically terminates when your divorce becomes final. In other words, the court is ordering your spouse to continue to contribute his or her share to your home mortgage and other household bills while the divorce case is pending.
Another type of alimony is called in solido alimony, also known as lump sum alimony. This is where one spouse pays the other a one-time payment, usually to compensate the recipient spouse for his or her share of a valuable marital asset that the court awarded to the paying spouse.
You may also receive rehabilitative alimony for a period of time to allow you to complete a plan to improve your earning ability or transitional alimony to aid in adjusting to life without your spouse. The remaining type of alimony is in futuro alimony which can continue for an indefinite period of time until modified by the court.
Modifying Court-Ordered Alimony Amounts
If necessary, you can ask the court to enforce or modify your alimony order. If your ex-spouse does not pay his or her court-ordered alimony, you have recourse to remedies such as contempt of court and wage garnishment. If you have been ordered to pay alimony but cannot afford the amount that the court ordered you to pay, you can petition the court to modify the amount. Some alimony awards are modifiable and others are not. It is important to clearly state the type, duration, amount, and conditions which may cause the alimony to be modified if not already provided for by statute.
Contact David L. Scott in Murfreesboro TN About Requesting, Enforcing, or Modifying an Alimony Award
Alimony can be a contentious issue during and after a divorce, but a family law attorney can help you resolve disputes related to spousal support. Contact David L. Scott in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, or call (615)896-7656 to set up a consultation.
