Divorce and Spousal Support

Divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage between two individuals. This may be the act of one of the parties desiring to end the marital union or both spouses may have come to a consensual agreement. Marriage can be difficult and there are many reasons that lead a husband and wife to choose to divorce such as unfaithfulness, financial trouble or the two individuals growing apart. A commonly used reason for divorce is "irreconcilable differences," which puts neither party at fault.

With around half of the population in the United States seeking divorce it is an issue that is often dealt with. When one or both parties involved decide they no longer wish to continue the union, they must turn to legal means to have the marriage terminated. Divorce can be a difficult and complicated process; when two individuals decide to legally separate there are many factors to consider. Since a marriage is the binding of two people, when that joining is broken things such as property, finances and custody need to be divided.

Finances are typically a large issue in divorce which can cause conflict and difficulty when being distributed between both spouses. In some cases, spousal support may be awarded to one of the parties. Spousal support, also known as alimony, is the legal requirement to financially support a former dependent spouse after divorcing. It may be awarded to either the husband or the wife, depending on who was the dependent in the marriage. The dependent is determined by comparing the two parties to see if one has a financial need that makes them unable to meet the cost of living they maintained during the marriage. The court may choose to award support to a spouse depending on the circumstances or the couple themselves may come to an agreement. The financial amount and length of time that monetary assistance is given can vary based on the couple and also the specific state laws.

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