Spousal Support
HNK Family Law has pursued fair resolutions for spousal support, formerly referred to as alimony, throughout the New Orleans area.
Our spousal support attorneys represent spouses seeking or facing spousal support payments throughout Southeastern Louisiana. We will get all the facts and circumstances surrounding the spousal support claim and advise you on the best approach in getting a just and fair award.
In Louisiana, there are two types of spousal support: Interim Spousal Support and Final Periodic Spousal Support. Interim spousal support is money paid directly from one spouse to the other based on the claimant spouse’s needs, the paying spouse’s ability to pay, and the standard of living to which the claimant spouse was accustomed to during the marriage. Interim spousal support generally runs during the pendency of the divorce proceedings and automatically terminates six months from the date the Court renders a final Judgment of Divorce. Final Periodic Spousal Support is post-divorce alimony which is based on the needs of the party (necessitous circumstances) and the other party’s ability to pay. An award of final periodic spousal support generally is a much lower amount being paid on a monthly basis or could be paid in a lump sum amount.
Part of final periodic spousal support is rehabilitative support, which is money used for the education and training of the claimant spouse to put him or her in a better financial situation so that he/she is not so reliant on the other spouse. After a divorce, if you were previously responsible for taking care of children while your spouse worked, you may have lost certain job skills and experience. In such a case, spousal support may be necessary to meet your living costs as you gain necessary job training and secure employment.
In determining the type, amount, and length of a spousal support award, a court may consider a variety of factors. That is why it is important to have the experienced and skillful family law attorneys at HNK Family Law working on your side to claim or defend claims of spousal support. If you are anticipating getting divorced or have recently become divorced, the New Orleans area family law attorneys at HNK Family law will make sure you a fair award of spousal support.
