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If you are getting a divorce, you are likely wondering how your financial situation will be affected. You may be worried about a number of things including, who will pay for any necessary childcare or child-related costs, who will get the valuable assets and investments that you share with your spouse, and whether you will have to pay alimony. The answer to all of these questions can be complicated and will depend on the facts of your divorce and the law of your state. It is important to consult with an experienced and qualified family law attorney in your area as soon as you start to consider divorce. The right attorney can help you anticipate the answers to the questions above, as well as many others about the divorce process, so that you can plan for your financial future.

One of the biggest questions on your mind may be, “How can I avoid paying alimony?” Like you read above, the best way to answer this and any other question related to your divorce is to consult with a qualified attorney in your state about the specific facts of your case. However, here are a few things for you to consider in the meantime.

• Alimony, also called spousal support, is money that a divorce court may order you to pay to help your spouse meet his or her financial needs after your divorce.
• Not every spouse is eligible for alimony.
• When deciding whether your spouse is eligible for alimony, the court will consider whether your spouse is able to meet his or her needs without any assistance from you.
• Courts will weigh a number of factors including your income compared to the income of your spouse, how long you were married, your spouse’s education level, any education or training that your spouse completed during the marriage, any health condition that affects your spouse’s ability to work, and whether your spouse changed his or her employment status during the course of your marriage.

For example, if your spouse left his or her career to be a stay-at-home parent at some point during your marriage, did not receive any education or training during the course of your marriage, and has a health issue that would make finding employment difficult, you may be on the hook for paying alimony to support your spouse after your divorce. On the other hand, if your spouse is young, healthy, and has a job that pays enough to meet his or her basic financial needs, you may not be required to pay alimony to support your spouse, even if you make more than him or her.

If you are required to pay alimony, know that your payments will likely not be forever. You may be able to stop paying alimony if your spouse gets remarried, or if he or she gets a job that pays for his or her financial needs. You will likely need to return to court in these situations to have your alimony payment revisited.

If you have any questions about how to fight your spouse’s request for alimony, you should consult with a qualified divorce attorney today.