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How can you estimate your alimony obligation?

On Behalf of | Mar 7, 2020 | Alimony

Divorce comes with a lot of complex financial agreements. If you are facing divorce and believe that you may have to pay spousal support or alimony, then you probably need to know what will determine how much you pay. How can you receive a favorable order? Forbes offers a look at the different court guidelines when it comes to alimony. These guidelines can help you to estimate how much you may have to pay in spousal support. 

Do not practice any dishonest tactics! Sometimes a divorcing partner will manipulate his or her income to look lower than it is. The courts will know better. They will compare past and current incomes and check for discrepancies. 

Courts pay attention to earned income, passive income, investment dividends, employment benefits and more. For the most part, a judge may just look at your most recent federal income tax return. He or she does not have to leave it at that, however. The judge can look deeper into your circumstances. Keep in mind that the judge can also look at your earning potential. If you have a much lower paying job than others with your degree, for instance, then he or she can use that in the decision-making process. 

If you worry about the amount of money you may have to spend on alimony every month, then you may want to consider being generous with your assets. If you leave your spouse a large share of marital assets, this will be a consideration when sorting out the financial agreement. You can lower your support obligation if you leave him or her with more assets than you might originally have left him or her with. 

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