Spousal Maintenance & Alimony

Austin Spousal Maintenance / Alimony Lawyers

With few exceptions, to be eligible for spousal maintenance, the marriage must have lasted at least ten years. Furthermore, the spouse seeking alimony must be unable to provide for his or her own minimum reasonable needs. If your marriage has lasted less than 10 years, Texas law makes it tough to obtain alimony as part of your final divorce decree. There are exceptions to this general rule, however. For example, a conviction for, being on probation for or being issued a deferred adjudication of domestic or family violence. Once a determination has been made that alimony is appropriate, then the court will examine a number of factors to determine the amount and duration of the award.

Set up an appointment with Piper & Turner, PLLC, so that we can examine your eligibility for spousal maintenance.

In addition to providing much-needed support, alimony may be an effective tool to accomplish the goals of a settlement agreement. Our skilled family law attorneys, James W. Piper and Travis L. Turner will give you an honest assessment of the pros and cons of spousal maintenance and how it may affect your bottom line in the long run.

Spousal support is typically awarded in instances where it can be proved that one spouse relied on the income of the other spouse, while adding value to the marriage without compensation. Long-term marriages in which one spouse passed up career or educational opportunities in order to remain home and be the primary caregiver for children is an example of a situation in which alimony should typically be granted. However, there are restrictions on the amount and duration of alimony awards and it is typically limited to a period of time in which the receiving spouse will train for a return to the work force.

Piper & Turner, PLLC handles complex divorce litigation cases, including those that involve the tracing of separate marital assets, complex property division and child support disputes.

Many of our clients are referred to us only after their divorce cases have become so complicated that their current attorney simply cannot handle it. Our attorneys work with a team of independent professionals to help determine appropriate levels of spousal maintenance for your particular case. In addition, we provide sound advice about the affects of alimony on our client's financial circumstances. We understand how final divorce agreements can affect your tax obligations. A person receiving alimony payments must include that as income for tax purposes, and the paying spouse may receive a tax credit for the payments. In addition, if your former spouse is the primary managing conservator of your children, he or she may retain the child tax exemption. This may have an effect on your alimony obligation.

Whether you are fighting to receive alimony, or protecting yourself from paying it when you feel it is unwarranted, we are ready to help. Contact Piper & Turner, PLLC to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys.