Alimony and Your Divorce in Jackson, Mississippi

If you are involved in a  divorced in  Mississippi, you might be wondering whether you are entitled to receive alimony. If you earn more money than your partner, you may be wondering whether you’ll be required to pay alimony. Alimony, also known as spousal support or spousal maintenance, is money the court orders one partner in a marriage to pay the other partner in the marriage after a divorce. Generally, alimony is awarded when one partner earns significantly more than the other, when one partner sacrificed his or her earning potential to support his or her spouse through school or in his or her career, or when one partner stayed home to raise the children while the other partner worked. The length of your marriage, your earnings, your education, your ability to earn money in the future, and the specific circumstances of your marriage will determine whether you are entitled to receive alimony and whether you will be required to pay alimony. If you are anticipating  divorce  Mississippi and have questions about alimony, consider reaching out to Malouf & Malouf, PLLC, a divorce lawyer in Jackson, Mississippi today. Our firm can review your situation, determine whether you might be entitled to receive alimony, and fight to get you the best possible divorce settlement under the law. How Alimony is Determined Several factors may be considered before an alimony award is made. The courts will look at various aspects of your marriage and your financial life when determining alimony. Here are some factors that the courts may consider:

• Your Ability to Care for Yourself. If you are seeking alimony, the courts will take a close look at how old you are, your physical health, your education, your work history, and other factors that can impact your ability to support yourself. If your partner has supported you through a long marriage, you might be more likely to receive alimony, than if you have a marriage in which both partners contributed financially and equally. The courts will also look at how long it might take you to gain the skills you might need to care for yourself financially. It is rare that alimony awards are permanent. In most cases, the courts award temporary alimony, giving the lower-income spouse time to get on his or her own feet and earn a living.
• How Long You Were Married. If you were only married for a short period of time, you will be less likely to receive alimony than if your marriage was long. The longer you were married, the longer alimony might be paid and the more alimony might be awarded.
• Standard of Living. The courts will look at the standard of living both partners enjoyed during the marriage. If there is a big disparity in earnings between you and your spouse, you might be entitled to receive money in alimony.
• Other Factors. Did you stay home to raise the children, while your spouse focused on his or her career? Did you support your spouse financially while he or she went on to get an advanced degree? Did you help your partner start his or her business? These factors could potentially impact your ability to seek alimony.

Malouf & Malouf are divorce lawyers in Jackson, Mississippi who can take a close look at your circumstances to determine whether you might be entitled to receive alimony. There are no standard formulas for alimony awards in Mississippi. Alimony awards are determined on a case by case basis, which means that if you think you might be entitled to receive alimony, the case you present in court could impact your alimony award. Malouf & Malouf are divorce attorneys in Jackson, Mississippi who may be able to help you with your case. Lump Sum and Periodic  Alimony in Mississippi There are two types of alimony awards you might receive in your divorce: a lump sum alimony payment or a periodic alimony payment. What is the difference? A lump sum alimony payment is a single amount  one spouse pays the other even though payments may be over an extended period of time. The benefit of a lump sum alimony payment is that this amount is fixed and won’t change. The drawback is that the receiving spouse will need to budget accordingly. Periodic alimony payments are paid over a period of time on a monthly, bi-weekly basis, or as arranged by the divorcing parties. Periodic payments will terminate  if one partner passes away or if the receiving party gets remarried. Which option is best for you? This will depend on your circumstances and life plans. Malouf & Malouf are divorce lawyers in Jackson, Mississippi who can review the benefits and drawbacks of each option and help you find the option that might be best for you. Getting divorced? Have questions about alimony? Reach out to Malouf & Malouf, divorce lawyers in Jackson, Mississippi today. USAttorneys.com are divorce lawyers in Jackson, Mississippi and other areas who can connect you with a divorce lawyer today like Malouf & Malouf who can help you with determining alimony awards.