Spousal Support Attorney in Adrian MI
Helping You Secure Fair Financial Support After Divorce
Spousal support (also known as alimony) ensures a fair financial transition after marriage. We help clients understand their rights and secure appropriate support.
Expert Guidance on Michigan Spousal Support and Alimony
Unlike child support, spousal support in Michigan is decided case-by-case with no fixed formula. The judge looks at each situation to decide whether alimony should be recommended.
Whether you’re initiating a request or defending against one, we help you build a strong case by:
Presenting key factors like length of marriage, income disparity, and ages
Calculating temporary, periodic, lump-sum, or permanent support based on Michigan case law
Preparing documentation and advocating effectively in Lenawee County courts
Get the Legal Help You Need
Understanding Alimony When Facing Divorce
You may have become used to a standard of living while you were married that won’t be the same after divorce. Spousal support, sometimes called alimony, is court-ordered financial assistance paid by one spouse to the other, to ensure that standards of living can be maintained after divorce.
In Michigan, either spouse can request support by explicitly stating it in divorce filings. However, It is not automatically awarded. The criteria analyzed is unique for each marriage, and can feel like a personal examination of lifestyle and income choices.
Spousal Support Types
There’s no cookie-cutter formula for determining the award of spousal support. Judges consider many factors such as length of marriage, income-earning ability, health, ages, and standard of living during marriage. Support can be awarded for different time periods and reasons:
Temporary Alimony: can be awarded and paid while the divorce process is underway; usually stops when the divorce is final or another award has been issued.
Reimbursement Alimony: may be awarded to compensate one spouse who paid for much during the marriage, such as higher education costs for the other spouse. One spouse giving up a career to raise the family might also warrant reimbursement alimony.
Rehabilitative Support: is usually short-term and awarded while the lower-income spouse participates in education or training to become self-sufficient to meet current financial needs.
Reimbursement Alimony: may be awarded to compensate one spouse who paid for much during the marriage, such as higher education costs for the other spouse. One spouse giving up a career to raise the family might also warrant reimbursement alimony.
Permanent Alimony: if one spouse cannot work due to age or disability, the judge may consider awarding this support. It would end when the disabled spouse remarries, or the paying spouse dies.
Lump-Sum Alimony: A judge may order that support payments are paid in full, upfront. Spouses might also decide on a single lump-sum payment rather than ongoing payments.
How to Change or Stop Alimony
Alimony (support orders) can be modified if a substantial change happens, unless the court explicitly prohibits it. Again, these are decided on a case-by-case basis. Lump-sum awards are typically non-modifiable or refundable.
Tax Considerations of Spousal Support
Because the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2019 changed how alimony is treated for federal taxes, support terms must account for tax effects. Michigan law still allows alimony, but federal tax consequences differ depending on when the judgment was entered.