Spousal support or alimony is money paid to a less-financially-secure spouse while a divorce is pending (temporary support), or after a divorce (permanent support). At Boyd Contreras LLP, our San Diego alimony attorneys have offices in San Diego and Orange County to help people secure support or defend against unmanageable spousal support obligations. Call 619-378-4033 or 949-242-0656 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a spousal support attorney you can depend on for sound counsel and solid representation.
Spousal Support Lawyers in San Diego & Orange County
The San Diego spousal support lawyers at Boyd Contreras LLP, can help you gather the documents necessary to build your case for or against spousal support. Our alimony attorneys offer experienced, trusted advocacy focused on your financial security.
Spousal support is not guaranteed under California family law. Each divorcing couple's unique financial, health and work history is considered by the judge when making a decision regarding whether spousal support will be ordered. Establishing the need for support and ability or inability to pay support is the work of your divorce lawyer.
Factors Considered in Awarding Alimony in California
The courts consider a number of factors when deciding whether to order spousal support. Those factors are weighed differently when considering temporary support versus permanent support. You may qualify for temporary support during the time of your divorce proceedings and yet not receive permanent spousal support.
Factors include:
- Age of the parties
- Length of the marriage
- Work history and job skills of each party
- Education levels
- Disability or medical problems
- Ability to pay support
- Ability to find employment
- And other factors
Contact one of our alimony attorneys in San Diego or Orange County by calling 619-378-4033 or 949-242-0656 or you can email us today.
Establishing Income
Full disclosure of all income is essential to ensuring a spousal support order that is fair. The court will require both parties to fill out income and expense reports and to provide supporting documents, such as W2s, tax documents, pay stubs, and banking documents.
Some spouses will hide income in order to avoid paying a fair amount of support. Business owners, in particular, can use the operation of their business to misrepresent their personal finances. Our San Diego spousal support lawyers work with a variety of financial experts - business evaluators and CPAs - to locate hidden income and assets. Because we are business owners ourselves, we know the questions to ask and the experts to work with.
Modification or Termination of Spousal Support
Support may be modified for various reasons. For example, if the paying party has lost a job, had work hours cut or has accepted a job at lower pay, he or she may ask the court for a modification of spousal support. If the spouse receiving support has become self sufficient, that is also a valid reason to request that support end.
While judges are sympathetic to financial difficulties, the need for a reduction in support must still be proven. If a support-paying spouse quits a job or voluntarily takes a lower-paying job in order to avoid paying support, our spousal support attorneys may ask the judge to "impute" the amount of income that he or she could reasonably be earning and to base a spousal support order on that larger amount.
Contact a San Diego Alimony Attorney Today!
Our attorneys help clients through out Southern California including these cities and counties:
- San Diego County
- Chula Vista
- El Cajon
- La Mesa
- La Jolla
- Orange County
- Irvine
- Santa Ana
- Newport Beach
- Laguna Beach
- And More
For more information about spousal support, contact the San Diego alimony attorneys at Boyd Contreras LLP, for a free initial consultation at our San Diego or Irvine office, or call 619-378-4033 or 949-242-0656 or contact us online today.
Related Content: San Diego Spousal Support Lawyers | Orange County Alimony Attorneys
