New York City Alimony/Maintenance Lawyers
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Why You Need an Experienced Alimony Attorney in New York City
Divorce is never easy, and it can be especially challenging when financial matters are involved. If you find yourself facing a divorce where spousal support or maintenance may be a factor, then it’s important to understand your legal options. Although the legal process can be complicated, having an experienced New York City alimony attorney on your side can help simplify things.
Spousal Support Explained
In New York, the term spousal support, maintenance, and alimony all mean the same thing. These terms are used to refer to monetary assistance that one spouse pays to another spouse following a divorce. This assistance is usually provided by the former spouse who earns more money.
There are many factors that a court considers when deciding whether spousal support payments should be awarded. For example, if one of the spouses was a stay-at-home parent or did not work during the marriage, they may need financial assistance after the divorce.
Calculating Spousal Support
New York State has two different formulas for calculating spousal support depending on whether there are children involved in the case or not. The goal of these formulas is to minimize any income gap between spouses after a divorce.
Temporary Spousal Support
Temporary spousal support payments are designed to help provide relief for the lower-earning spouse during the transitional period while awaiting finalization of divorce proceedings. Temporary maintenance is only paid when one party’s income falls below two-thirds of their spouse’s income (minus their FICA taxes).
The amount and duration of temporary maintenance payments depend on several factors including length of marriage, income levels, employment history, among others. However, it cannot exceed 3 years based on new regulations instituted in 2015.
Long-term Spousal Support
Unlike temporary support which has set criteria for calculation (using formulas), long-term spousal support payments require a more thorough analysis of the unique circumstances involved. The judge presiding over the case has some discretion in establishing an amount and duration for spousal support. Relevant factors include but not limited to:
- Length of marriage
- Age, health, needs of the parties
- Income and property brought by each spouse to the marriage
- Education and earning capacities
- What assets and debts must be divided
How An Experienced Alimony Attorney Can Help You
Having a knowledgeable attorney in your corner can make a big difference when it comes to protecting your interests during divorce proceedings. The legal team at Spodek Law Group is well-equipped to help you get through this difficult time.
With over four decades of experience handling alimony cases just like yours, we have a deep understanding of New York family law nuances that could impact your legal options.
We are dedicated to advocating strongly on behalf of our clients regardless of which side they represent – as either payer or payee spouses. Our goal is to ensure that you receive fair treatment throughout the process so that you can move forward with your life.
Divorce Mediation: A Way To Solve Your Conflict Without Going To Courts
Divorce is a stressful situation no matter how you look at it. In many cases, disputes between divorcing spouses bring out emotions that interfere with making rational decisions about financial matters, custody arrangements, etc.
Mediation provides an alternative way of resolving such conflicts without resorting to litigation while saving money and avoiding additional emotional trauma.
What Is Divorce Mediation?
Divorce mediation is designed to provide couples contemplating divorce with an opportunity to work together in coming up with solutions instead of fighting against each other providing solutions that meet everyone’s best interests including their children.
A mediator can guide these discussions by providing guidance on setting mutual goals or acquiring information needed for agreement-making purposes. They’re trained in facilitating discussions about child custody issues and providing recommendations that are in the best interests of the children, as well.
If both parties agree to use mediation to reach a settlement agreement on matters like property division, spousal support/alimony payments and custody issues, they will hire a mediator who is a neutral third party.
The mediator does not make decisions but is there to facilitate discussions between the parties involved. The goal is to help each spouse understand the perspective of his or her partner while keeping everyone focused on finding common ground.
What Are The Benefits Of Divorce Mediation?
- It’s Less Expensive: Court fees, lawyer costs, and other expenses can increase significantly in litigation cases, routinely rising into tens of thousands of dollars per person. However, mediation avoids court filings or proceedings resulting in reduced fees likely saving you time and money in legal bills.
- Better Resolution Than A Court Order: When couples visit court for dispute resolution consultation; judges may listen patiently before making rulings that one party often doesn’t like based on court precedents (case law), but with divorce mediations; couples find ways to create their own path forward without sacrificing individual rights or family welfare concerns.
- Confidentiality Benefits: Mediation occurs privately within existing agreements limiting public disclosures plus reducing rumors which could worsen any simmering problems further down the line such as among colleagues or neighbors.
- Customized Agreements: Divorce terms agreed upon through mediation are individualized by nature reflecting each couple’s unique needs unlike court orders that are standardized irrespective of individual factors.
Hiring a Professional New York City Mediator
Couples facing divorce have many options when it comes to ending their marriage without resorting to litigation which can be expensive and emotionally draining especially if creditors get involved. One option increasing in popularity these days is divorce mediation where parties communicate directly under guidance from neutral third-party experts working towards mutually acceptable outcomes that would benefit everyone concerned including minor children if applicable.
We at Spodek Law Group, P.C., offer a customized divorce mediation service that focuses not only on resolving outstanding issues but doing so amicably preserving family harmony avoiding needless emotional turmoil further ameliorating their children’s situation. Our mediators have extensive experience handling complicated divorce disputes and situations, know the nuances of New York State laws (for effective dispute resolution), and committed towards helping parties find middle ground that balances everyone’s interests.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you maximize your chances for successful conflict resolution without going to court or visit our website for background details on our mediation services.