What Is Alimony, and How Much Can You Get After a Divorce?

Alimony is the financial support a person receives from their spouse after separation or divorce is granted by the court, known as the maintenance order. You can set the maintenance payment for a limited period, and it can be halted if one of the two involved dies or the recipient remarries. The amount is also subject to change depending on the employment status of the parties involved.

How much needs to be paid?

Spousal maintenance is mainly awarded to a spouse without any earning capacity, an elderly spouse who can’t earn due to their age, a spouse left to care for a child under the age of 18, where one person has a significantly higher income than the other or where there are fewer assets of the marriage available for division.

The court decides the amount after looking into the needs and capacity to provide the parties’ needs.

How shall it be paid?

There are two ways of paying spousal maintenance, namely ‘periodic order’ paid on a weekly or monthly basis and a one-off ‘lump sum’ payment of a specific monetary amount or through property transfer.

Consequences of avoiding spousal maintenance

When ordered by the court to pay spousal maintenance, you must do so without fail for the agreed duration; otherwise, you may have to face severe consequences. If you’re struggling to keep pace with the payment, you and your former spouse can reiterate a mediated agreement. If you’re the recipient and can prove your claims of your former spouse not making payments regularly, you can head to court with the help of an attorney.

We at the Wembley Solicitors in Middlesex, UK, are committed to helping you resolve your legal issues. Our high success rate and exceptional legal services standards expand over UK immigration law, personal injury claim, family law, children law, landlord & tenant, commercial lease, and litigation. Contact us today to secure your spousal maintenance plans!