Towson Divorce Lawyer | Alimony.
The Law Governing Alimony and Spousal Support Under Maryland Domestic Relations Law.
Alimony is spousal support for men or women who have filed for Divorce. Alimony is paid from the primary wage earner to the financially dependent spouse based on the dependent spouse's needs and the paying spouse's earning ability. Maryland primarily has three forms of alimony: temporary alimony, rehabilitative alimony, and indefinite alimony. Indefinite alimony is rare and usually requires a long marriage and a significant disparity in earnings. Claims for alimony ultimately depend upon the outcome of the divorce case. If an action for Divorce is dismissed for any reason, the suit for alimony is also defeated.
The Amar S. Weisman Approach to Alimony Matters In Baltimore County.
Alimony is about numbers--income, earning potential, and financial patterns, new and old. Presenting precise numbers to the Court is essential. It will require a discovery strategy enabling your Towson family lawyer to acquire lots of financial information during a short period. Getting alimony and defending against an alimony claim need more than tax returns and pay stubs; your attorney must make sure the Court understands how money was, is, and will be allocated in your family's past, present and future. The following are but starting points:
- Patterns of transferring money from the primary wage earner to the dependent spouse before separation and other evidence of the status quo that prevailed during the marriage.
- Statements from lenders, including banks and credit unions.
- Monthly and annual credit card statements evidencing the allotment of money within the household before and after the separation.
- Evidence of ongoing and necessary expenditures, including receipts from retail merchants, service providers, and estimates for predicted expenses for both spouses. This category of evidence would include routine dental, medical, utility, and telephone bills.
- Evidence of indebtedness, especially recently, shows that either spouse borrows money to make ends meet during separation.
- If a close corporation or family business employs one spouse, getting to the truth may require taking depositions of other corporate officers and family members to determine whether income figures are real entirely. If a spouse employed by a family business has a sudden decline in income without losing their spending power, the red flags go up. If you are part of a close corporation or family business, your only reasonable option is to be forthcoming. Any strategy that centers around fooling the Court is terrible.
What Are the different types of alimony available under the Maryland Family Law Article?
There are three types of alimony available under Maryland Law:
Long-Form Financial Statements Based on Real Numbers That Reveal the Truth About Your Financial Needs and Your Ability to Meet Those Needs.
Alimony and spousal support are ultimately all about numbers. Those numbers are communicated to the Court using the Long Form of a Financial Statement. Suppose you are prosecuting or defending an alimony claim. In that case, you can expect to submit a long-form financial statement and for your numbers to be scrutinized by Amar S. Weisman and the opposing counsel alike. To maximize precision, this law firm generally requests that you bring in credit card statements, bills, and receipts to ensure each category on the financial information correctly reflects spending. In certain instances, where a spouse cannot maintain the standard of living that prevailed before separation, it may be helpful to fill two financial statements, including financial information that reflects the spending that won before breaking. On the other hand, the Court usually pays attention to whether expenditures are sensible so that the spouses live within their means. Although Judges have a great deal of discretion when determining alimony, the Circuit Court for Baltimore County will not Order alimony payments to perpetuate a fundamentally unsustainable lifestyle.
Modification Of Alimony.
The Law Offices of Amar S. Weisman works with clients seeking to increase, decrease and terminate alimony obligations. Generally, the modification of alimony is based on a change in financial circumstances or the remarriage of the alimony recipient. In alimony modification matters, the Towson family lawyer's task is to gather and present evidence concerning the change in financial circumstances. This evidence may include bank records, tax returns, and business ledgers. Since alimony can often be modified, this Towson law firm sometimes advises clients to obtain an agreement stipulating that maintenance may NOT be changed.
Call 410-321-4994 For a Free Consultation With Towson Divorce & Custody Lawyer Amar S. Weisman.
Please Call (410) 321-4994 to schedule a Free Consultation. The purpose of the consultation is to decide whether you want to hire Amar S. Weisman. To obtain legal services, you must pay a retainer, see Policy on Fees/Costs. The law firm is next to The Circuit Court for Baltimore County at 1018 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204. We represent clients throughout the Baltimore area, including Aberdeen. Abingdon, Bel Air, Bowleys Quarters, Catonsville, Cockeysville, Edgewood, Essex, Lutherville, Owings Mills, Parkville, Perry Hall, Rosedale, Sparrows Point, Timonium, Towson, Westminster, and White Marsh.
Articles By Amar S. Weisman:
Blog Postings By Amar S. Weisman:
- Baltimore & Towson Lawyer On Alimony For Younger Spouses.
- Baltimore & Towson Lawyer On Alimony Modification.
- Baltimore & Towson Lawyer On Alimony Garnishments.
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