If you took care of the home and children while your spouse built a successful career, you might worry about your finances after divorce. After being out of the workforce for several years, you may not find a job that pays the bills to support your lifestyle.
Fortunately, California divorce courts can award you spousal support, or alimony. This payment ensures that you have financial support as you enter your post-divorce life. Here are a few factors a judge will consider when calculating spousal support:
- How long your marriage lasted
- Your standard of living and your ability to continue paying for that standard
- The marketability of your job skills
- The amount your career suffered if you left to take care of the home
- The length of time you’ve been out of the workforce
- The amount of time and money you have invested in your spouse’s education or training
Length of spousal support
When judges calculate spousal support, they also determine how long the payments last. For short-term marriages, spousal support generally lasts about half the length of the marriage, subject to a judge’s discretion. But for long-term marriages, especially ones that lasted 10 or more years, the payments can last for life, or until the person receiving the support remarries.
Helping you pay your bills while you reenter the workforce
You may need to ultimately pay for your housing, utilities, car loans and more by yourself. However, if it will take time for you to build a new career, you can rely on support payments to pay for your bills.
