Cook County Spousal Support Attorney

Lawyers Assisting With Spousal Maintenance and Alimony in Oak Park and Chicago

The end of a marriage can be incredibly difficult, even in situations when a couple is able to work together and resolve their differences in an amicable manner. However, if you are worried about your income, expenses, and the avalanche of other financial concerns you are experiencing during your divorce, you should take steps to protect your financial security. In these cases, it is essential to work with an attorney to understand the role that spousal maintenance will play in your case.

The lawyers at Wakenight & Associates, P.C. have over 95 years of combined family law experience, and we can help address the complex financial issues involved in high net worth and high conflict divorce cases. We will provide you with dedicated representation, working to ensure that you will have the financial resources you need once your divorce has been completed.

Spousal Maintenance Eligibility in Illinois

Spousal maintenance, which is also known as spousal support or alimony, is intended to ensure that both spouses will be able to continue living at a standard similar to what they enjoyed during their marriage. These payments will allow a spouse who earns a lower income than their former partner or who is a stay at home parent to meet their needs while the divorce is pending, and for a period of time after the divorce has been completed.

Spousal maintenance payments are calculated using a formula specified in Illinois law, and the length of time that alimony will be paid will depend on the amount of time the parties were married. However, the decision of whether spousal support will be paid is often based on an agreement between spouses, or it may be left up to the judge in their divorce case. A judge will look at a variety of factors when determining whether spousal maintenance is appropriate, including:

• The family's standard of living while the spouses were married.
• The amount of income earned by each spouse, the property allocations made during the divorce case, each spouse's non-marital property, their financial obligations (such as child support), their ongoing needs, and their realistic present and future earning capacity.
• Any impairment to earning capacity experienced by the spouse who is seeking maintenance due to their choice to devote themselves to "domestic duties" rather than career advancement.
• The amount of time needed for the spouse seeking maintenance to pursue the education or training necessary to begin working and supporting themselves.
• Any contributions made by the spouse who is seeking maintenance to the other party's career, including assistance with education, training, or licensing.
• Whether parenting time and parental responsibility will affect either spouse's employment or income.
• The tax consequences of a maintenance award for both spouses.
• Any prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, or other valid agreements between the spouses.

Contact a River Forest Alimony Lawyer

You deserve to have the financial support you need following your divorce and continue living in a manner similar to what you came to expect while you were married. If you believe that you should receive spousal support from your former spouse, or if your spouse expects you to pay them alimony, you should work with an attorney to determine whether this support is warranted in your situation and to ensure that the amount of payments is calculated correctly. To learn more about how we can help you reach a positive outcome to your divorce, contact us today by calling 708-480-9651 to schedule your free consultation. We assist with divorce cases in Oak Park, Maybrook, River Forest, Berwyn, Cicero, Riverside, and Cook County.