Alimony, also referred to spousal support and spousal maintenance, is the court-ordered financial support a person must provide for his or her ex. For couples facing divorce, alimony may be an issue to discuss with a reputable divorce lawyer.
The divorce attorneys at Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant, LLP are well versed in the intricate process of divorce and will be happy to answer your questions concerning alimony or spousal support during or after your divorce. We encourage you to arrange a consultation with us to learn about your rights regarding alimony in Texas. Contact us online or call 940-230-2386 today to see how we can help.
Chapter 8 of the Texas Family Code outlines conditions that define eligibility for alimony in Texas. For short-term marriages, a spouse is usually not eligible for alimony. The laws pertaining to alimony in Texas allow the courts to grant spousal maintenance only to divorcing couples that were married for 10 years or longer—with one exception. If your spouse has been convicted of domestic violence, you may be eligible for spousal maintenance.
A court may order spousal maintenance if a spouse lacks sufficient property to provide for the spouse’s minimum reasonable needs, as well as the following instances:
An important question to ask is, “How long will spousal maintenance be paid?” The court must limit the duration of the support payments to the shortest reasonable period that allows the spouse to provide for the spouse’s minimum reasonable needs.
There are three exceptions to this general rule:
There are other limitations on spousal maintenance, such as a cap on the amount that can be paid per month. There are also ways that maintenance payments may be modified, changed, enforced or terminated.
For assistance with alimony from an experienced Denton County divorce lawyer, look no further than Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant, LLP for all of your family law needs. Contact us online or call us at 940-230-2386 to find out how we can serve you. We offer free initial consultations!