Ask a Divorce Attorney for Women: How Does Alimony Work in Ohio?

Getting a divorce is a stressful experience on its own, but once you begin dividing your assets and discussing financial support, things can get even more complicated. Alimony–which is referred to as spousal support in Ohio–is a type of payment made by one spouse to the other during/after a divorce. Alimony ensures that both parties can cover their necessary expenses once they are separated. Keep reading for more info on alimony from a divorce attorney for women.

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What Are the Types of Alimony in Ohio?

In Ohio, there are two types of alimony or spousal support during divorce proceedings: permanent and temporary. An attorney can help you determine which type of alimony you qualify for.

Temporary Spousal Support

Temporary spousal support is given during the legal proceedings surrounding a divorce before an actual alimony order has been issued in court. Typically, temporary spousal support in Ohio begins when divorce proceedings start and end when a divorce judgment or a new order for support is issued by a judge.

This type of spousal support is most common when one of the spouses paid for all or most of the expenses during the marriage and the other is or was not able to be financially independent during the divorce.

Permanent Spousal Support

Permanent spousal support, on the other hand, occurs when a judge orders payments to continue after a divorce has been finalized. Although the word “permanent” usually means “unchanging,” permanent spousal support is not always a long-term arrangement. Depending on the situation permanent spousal support could only last for a short period.

In most cases, permanent support is awarded by the court when one spouse can’t be financially independent. A spouse who left their career to raise children, for example, may find that re-entering the workforce is very difficult and they could be awarded permanent spousal support. This support may last a long time, or it may only last until the spouse can acquire the necessary skills to get a job and become independent.

What Factors Determine If a Woman Gets Alimony?

The duration and amount of spousal support payments are decided by guidelines outlined in Ohio state legislation. A great attorney will be able to help you determine if you are eligible for alimony payments by examining your financial information. In general, your attorney will look at the following factors when assessing your eligibility.

Marriage Circumstances

As mentioned above, circumstances like one spouse giving up their career to raise children tend to receive spousal support (not to mention child support). Contrary to popular belief, however, circumstances like infidelity or abuse won’t be factored in when deciding on alimony eligibility. Instead, these may influence whether a spouse receives punitive damages which are separate from alimony payments.

Length of Marriage

Spousal support payments in Ohio are rarely awarded if the union in question lasted for less than five years. As with most things, however, there are some exceptions to this, so ask your divorce lawyer for women if your specific case might qualify.

Not only does the length of your marriage determine whether you are eligible for spousal support, but it also helps determine how long you will receive payments. As a loose rule, there are many judges in Ohio who tend to award one year of alimony payments for every three years of marriage. This means that if you were married for nine years, you can expect to receive around three years of alimony payments.

Earning Potential

Another factor is earning potential. If your spouse earned considerably more than you, you may qualify to receive larger alimony payments. Spousal support payments are designed to ensure that both parties can continue living the lifestyle they were accustomed to during the marriage. Since married couples tend to share financial resources, when one spouse out-earns the other, alimony is often awarded to balance things out during and after the separation.

How Can a Divorce Attorney for Women Help You Get Alimony?

Every marriage is different, and your specific circumstance will determine whether you’re eligible for alimony payments. That being said, statistically speaking, women are more likely to receive alimony payments in the state of Ohio. Although figuring out the details of alimony payments may seem straightforward, without a good divorce attorney you may not receive everything you are entitled to. This is because a great attorney will ensure that all circumstances and unique factors are represented fairly during the divorce proceedings.

In Ohio, there are two types of alimony or spousal support that can be awarded during divorce proceedings: temporary and permanent. Due to the fact that each couple’s situation is unique, a good divorce attorney can help you receive the alimony payments you’re entitled to. This is because they are able to advocate for your specific circumstances and ensure that you are fairly compensated during and after your divorce.