Spousal support (also known as alimony) can be decided by the court or through an out-of-court agreement between the parties in Texas. When one spouse in a divorce case requests spousal support, it is critical for both parties to have an attorney represent and advise them in the process of establishing an appropriate level of support.
At The Law Office of Goodman and Cowan, P.C., Austin attorney Michael E. Goodman can protect your interests and guide your informed decisions to a favorable and fair agreement. Contact our law firm today for sound legal advice and a free initial consultation.
If you and your spouse decide to cooperatively craft a spousal maintenance agreement, you should make sure your interests are represented appropriately and completely. All current and future expenses along with several other factors should be incorporated in an equitable agreement. It can be extremely difficult to convince a court to hear issues relating to a spousal support matter to which you have already agreed to in the past absent substantial changes in circumstance.
Spousal Support Orders by Court Ruling
When a Texas court must rule on spousal support, a number of factors will be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis:
- Financial resources and property of both spouses
- Education and job training of both spouses
- Length of the marriage
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
- Age, employment history, earning power and health of spouse seeking support
- Ability of other spouse to make support payments to requesting spouse
- Distribution of marital property
- Premarital property
- Contribution by either spouse to education or earning power of the other
- Contributions of the homemaker
- Any marital misconduct or domestic violence
Changes to the Texas Spousal Support Law
The Texas Legislature's overhaul of the spousal support law took effect on September 1, 2011. It is no longer necessary for the spouse requesting support to prove that he or she cannot support himself or herself through appropriate employment. The new law no longer requires the requesting spouse to seek employment counseling. Along with the factors listed above, court decisions depend solely upon whether the requesting spouse can earn an income to sufficiently provide for his or her minimum reasonable needs.
Limits on the amount and duration of payments have also been increased. It is important to seek the advice of an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer to determine how the law affects your divorce case and your future.
Contact Our Travis County Spousal Support Attorney
We care about your resolution to difficult family law matters and guide you through the process with care. Contact The Law Office of Goodman and Cowan, P.C., for a free initial consultation with an Austin alimony attorney. We serve clients in Williamson County, Llano County, Hays County and Blanco County, and surrounding counties and in the Rockwall area.
