Spousal support is an important part of many divorces so divorcing couples should be familiar with the different types of spousal support and know how spousal support requests are addressed. The greater familiarity they have with the topic of spousal support, the smoother the process can go during their divorce process.

Spousal support laws take into account a variety of different factors. Factors that are considered when determining an award of alimony, or spousal support, include the standard of living established during the marriage; the duration of the marriage; the age, physical condition and emotional condition of the spouses; the financial resources of each of the spouses; the time that it would take for either spouse to acquire the education or training necessary to find suitable employment to be self sufficient; the contributions of each of the spouse to the marriage, including homemaking and childcare; the overall financial condition of each of the spouses; and other factors considered relevant to the court.

There are generally three types of spousal support in Georgia including permanent, temporary and lump sum alimony. The different types of alimony will be used in different situations and to meet different needs. Spousal support is designed to help offset any unfair financial advantage of the divorce, as the family law court will want both spouses to be on as solid financial footing as possible moving forward after the divorce as possible.

If spousal support is an issue during a couple’s divorce, they will want to understand how spousal support decisions are made. Spousal support can be a challenging issue during any divorce so knowing as much about how the family law system handles it is useful.