Alimony & Maintenance

Alimony (often called separate maintenance) can be a touchy subject in a divorce. It takes an experienced lawyer to protect your interests, making sure that the amounts agreed on in negotiation or ordered by the court are in your best interests. Our focus is on protecting our clients’ interests in alimony matters. When clients visit our law firm for a confidential consultation, we talk with them about their situation. Together, we examine what outcomes are possible and what strategies are likely to achieve the best possible results. Contact our Cobb County separate maintenance law office online todayto learn how we can help. You may also call 770 746 8908, to discuss your situation with an experienced attorney.

Georgia Separate Maintenance And Alimony Law

Each divorce is different. Under Georgia law, alimony payments are not ordered in every divorce. In order for it to be ordered, two factors must be present:

• The receiving spouse must have a need for the money. Generally, this means that the spouse has been out of the workforce a long time — often to raise children as a stay-at-home parent. That spouse is unemployed or underemployed and needs financial assistance to maintain the standard of living he or she had during the marriage.
• The paying spouse must have the ability to pay. Financial need does not mean anything without the other spouse’s ability to make alimony payments. When courts see that one spouse will be left without resources after a divorce while the other has more than enough, they are more likely to order alimony.

While separate maintenance is an important issue, it is rarely considered alone. Separate maintenance is commonly part of a larger group of issues in a divorceor in modification of an existing court order. At the Marietta law firm of Daswani & Smalley, we take these other issues into account when making our analysis. For example, we often evaluate the tax consequences of child support orders in relation to alimony orders and can partner with highly regarded tax planners and certified public accountants, as needed.

Contact An Alimony Attorney In Marietta

Issues of alimony are best handled with the help of a knowledgeable and understanding attorney. To contact the Marietta, Georgia, law office of Gina Smalley, call 770 746 8908. You may also complete our online contact form.