A marriage requires a careful balance of needs and responsibilities between the parties. Different couples throughout Louisiana may settle on different distributions of duties and chores between the spouses to find the equilibrium that lets their relationships thrive. For some, having one partner work outside of the home for income while the other works in the home on domestic responsibilities can work to ensure that all financial, social and personal duties are met.
When a couple that uses this balance of tasks divorces, however, the partner who did not work outside of the home may find that they have little to no income on which to survive once their marriage is over. Their contributions to their marriage and family were not without consequence: individuals in this situation often give up their careers and decrease their earning power when they take themselves out of the workforce to accomplish at-home work.
When a person may be financially disadvantaged because of a divorce, they may choose to seek alimony, also known as spousal support, from their soon-to-be ex-spouse. Alimony is the payment of money from one ex to the other, and alimony can be paid for a set period of time or indefinitely. Different financial needs and factors will determine how long alimony will last.
The length of a marriage, the age of the parties and the other financial responsibilities of the payer spouse may influence how much money an alimony recipient will receive. Before requesting alimony from one’s ex, a reader of this post may wish to contact their divorce and family law attorney for state law guidance that is relevant to their needs.
