Money is a touchy subject. It can be hard to talk about and can even create unfixable chasms between married individuals. When money becomes a point of contention between two Nevada residents, they may discover that their disputes necessitate the termination of their marriage.
Before married people can legally end their relationship, however, they often must work out significant legal issues related to money. One of those issues is alimony, also known as spousal support. Alimony is the payment of money from one ex-partner to the other for a period during and after the termination of their relationship. Not all divorces involve negotiations over alimony, but for those that do it can be a critical matter.
Why is alimony important?
As stated, alimony is not a part of all divorces. When two people leave a marriage and both are financially independent, they do not need to craft an alimony agreement. Alimony is necessary when one party to a marriage is dependent on the other for income and cannot survive financially on their own once their marriage is over.
Alimony in Nevada and other jurisdictions allows financially dependent individuals to live while they work toward self-sufficiency. Nevada recognizes two basic forms of alimony, which are temporary alimony and permanent alimony. As their names indicate, alimony awards can be short-term or may last for lifetimes.
How does a court decide if alimony should be awarded?
Not all divorcing parties agree to terms regarding alimony, and when they do not the dependent parties often must request it be ordered by their divorce courts. Courts look at many factors to decide if alimony is necessary in individual divorces. Those factors can include:
- The health of the divorcing parties;
- The educational and job experiences of the parties;
- The length of the marriage;
- The individual assets of the parties; and
- The work histories of the parties.
If a court decides that alimony is warranted, it will award it with terms related to its amount, payment schedule, and duration. Individuals who have questions about alimony are encouraged to speak with their divorce attorneys. This informational post should not be relied on as advice or legal guidance.