Spousal support or alimony is an integral part of a divorce. In Nebraska, a party may be ordered to pay spousal support to help the other party during and after the divorce to maintain their standard of living. This is one of the most discussed matters, but it’s also associated with misinformation.
Here are four common myths surrounding spousal support.
Myth 1: It’s guaranteed
Spousal support is necessary when one party is financially stable and can help the other who needs further education or training to get dependable employment. Thus, alimony helps a spouse during a reasonable time to bridge a period of unemployment. This means that if both parties are financially stable, the court may not award alimony.
Myth 2: Alimony is permanent
Alimony can be permanent, but not always. As discussed before, the court may award alimony for a particular period until the recipient party has a stable job. Further, an alimony order may be terminated upon the death of one spouse or remarriage of the alimony recipient unless stated otherwise in the written agreement.
Myth 3: Alimony follows a standard procedure
Some people believe alimony is determined the same way in all cases, but this is not true. Of course, the court considers certain factors, including the circumstances of the parties, the duration of the marriage and the history of contributions to the marriage, and so on. However, the procedure and results will be unique in each case.
Myth 4: Spousal support should equalize income
Spousal support is not awarded to equalize the income of parties. It is supposed to help one party who needs financial assistance.
These spousal support myths are the root to some people’s costly mistakes. It will help to get adequate information to make the right moves.