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Bethesda Alimony Attorney

Scales Of Justice And Law Book

If you are like most divorcing spouses, your obligation to pay (or right to receive) alimony is one of your most pressing concerns. You need to know that you will be on solid financial footing after your divorce, and this means that you need to make sure you receive a favorable alimony award. This is possible with an experienced Bethesda alimony attorney on your side; and, by planning ahead you can make smart decisions with your long-term best interests in mind.

For more than a decade, attorney Brandon Bernstein has been helping spouses navigate all aspects of the divorce process. If alimony is warranted in your divorce, he can help you carefully address all pertinent considerations, and he can help make sure you achieve a favorable outcome.

Maryland’s Alimony Factors: Key Considerations When Preparing for Your Divorce

In Maryland, there is no specific formula for determining whether a divorcing spouse should receive alimony. Instead, the Maryland Family Law Courts consider several factors when deciding whether an alimony award is warranted. These factors include (but are not limited to):

  • The ability of the party seeking alimony to be wholly or partly self-supporting;
  • The time necessary for the party seeking alimony to gain sufficient education or training to enable that party to find suitable employment;
  • The standard of living that the parties established during their marriage;
  • The duration of the marriage;
  • The contributions, monetary and non-monetary, of each party to the well-being of the family;
  • The circumstances that contributed to the estrangement of the parties;
  • The age of each party;
  • The physical and mental condition of each party;
  • The ability of the party from whom alimony is sought to meet that party’s needs while meeting the needs of the party seeking alimony;
  • Any agreement between the parties;
  • The financial needs and financial resources of each party, including:
    • all income and assets, including property that does not produce income;
    • any award made under §§ 8-205 and 8-208 of this article;
    • the nature and amount of the financial obligations of each party; and
    • the right of each party to receive retirement benefits; and
  • Whether the award would cause a spouse who is a resident of a related institution as defined in § 19-301 of the Health – General Article and from whom alimony is sought to become eligible for medical assistance earlier than would otherwise occur.

Depending on the circumstances involved in your divorce, some of these factors may weigh more heavily than others, and some may not be relevant at all. Whether you are seeking to negotiate an amicable resolution or you are preparing to take your divorce to court, it will be important for you to understand both: (i) how these factors apply to your personal financial circumstances, and (ii) what you can—and should—do to help ensure that you achieve a favorable outcome from your divorce.

To fully understand whether you are entitled to alimony (or whether you are likely to have to pay alimony after your divorce), you should contact a Bethesda alimony attorney to discuss your financial circumstances in confidence. When you contact us for a free initial consultation, attorney Brandon Bernstein will work closely with you to examine the relevant factors for your divorce and give you an idea of what his strategy would be to help you obtain the best possible result in light of the circumstances presented.

FAQs: What Should Divorcing Spouses in Bethesda Know about Alimony?

How Can I Support Myself Through the Divorce Process If I’m Not Working?

For people who are financially reliant on their spouse, it can be hard to know how to take the first step when preparing to go through a divorce. Fortunately, the Maryland Family Law Courts allow dependent spouses to make a request for pendente lite alimony, which is a temporary alimony arrangement meant to a non-earning spouse maintain his or her current standard of living during the divorce process.

How Long Will I Have to Pay (or How Long Will I Receive) Alimony After My Divorce?

Every situation is different.  Alimony can be either temporary or indefinite, meaning there is no set end date. Typically, alimony is meant to be restorative, or to help a non-earning spouse become financially independent. Even if someone has not worked for most of their adult life, the general assumption is that most people are able to secure some type of income, so cases in which alimony is awarded indefinitely are relatively rare.

If My Spouse Remarries Will I Still Have to Pay Alimony?

Typically, if a former spouse who is receiving alimony gets remarried, this will terminate his or her right to alimony.  So, if you are receiving alimony and considering getting remarried, it is a good idea to consider this in your financial planning.

Are Prenuptial Agreements Enforceable With Regard to Alimony in Maryland?

Generally speaking, if a prenuptial agreement (or postnuptial agreement) addresses the spouses’ alimony rights in the event of a divorce, their agreement will be binding. Maryland law allows fiancés and spouses to make arrangements regarding alimony in advance; and, as long as their agreement meets Maryland’s basic requirements for enforceability, they will be able to hold one another to the terms to which they agreed when bringing their marriage to an end.

How Can I Get My Spouse to Agree to an Alimony Payment During Our Divorce?

In many cases, it will be advantageous for both spouses to agree to an alimony award during their divorce. Bethesda alimony attorney Brandon Bernstein has significant experience representing spouses in divorce negotiations, and he has helped numerous spouses obtain favorable alimony awards (both as payors and as recipients) along with amicably resolving issues regarding property division and child-related matters.

Schedule a Free Initial Consultation with Bethesda Alimony Attorney Brandon Bernstein

If you are preparing to go through a divorce in Maryland and have questions about alimony, we encourage you to schedule a free initial consultation. To discuss your divorce with Bethesda alimony attorney Brandon Bernstein in confidence, please call 240-395-1418 or request an appointment online today.