Virginia Beach Spousal Support Lawyer

If you are going through the divorce process, a Virginia Beach family lawyer can help you gain insight into how your assets will be divided and what rules are in place for things like co-owned businesses and the dividing equity in a home. However, spousal support is often a critical financial tool for many people, especially those who may not have worked for years.

While Virginia law does not have a specific formula for determining how much spousal support is provided to each person in a final divorce order, there are various types of support available that could be awarded:

• Temporary spousal support: This type of financial award is put into place right after the separation occurs. At this point, the funds are intended to meet the financial needs of both parties while the divorce is completed and other decisions are made.
• Rehabilitative spousal support: This variation of temporary spousal support provides funds for the dependent spouse while they establish themselves financially. Support helps them with activities such as funding relocation, getting new job training, or finding employment.
• Permanent spousal support: There are situations where a permanent decision on spousal support with no technical end date is put into place. Most often, this type of support remains in place until the dependent spouse passes away, becomes financially successful on their own, or gets remarried.

The type of support provided to you depends on multiple factors, including your lifestyle while married and your financial needs. This varies significantly in every marriage. As a result, you should have a spousal support attorney in Virginia Beach by your side as you navigate these complicated situations.

Several elements make up the decision on how much and what type of spousal support you will receive. While many people think of this type of support as a division of income to make the divorce fair or balanced, there is more to it than that. The court will factor in the following elements to make a decision:

• Marriage length
• Are children involved (this will be taken into consideration as it is related to child support)?
• Was there any evidence of abuse in the marriage?
• Was there any evidence of adultery in the marriage?
• What is each spouse’s standard of living right now?
• What type of job skills do you or your spouse have, such as education, training, or job history?
• What is the age of the dependent spouse, which could influence their ability to work or gain an education?
• What is the health of the spouse? Are there any chronic health problems to consider?

Spousal support is not a simple calculation. It must account for the ability of both people to live independently and meet their financial obligations to maintain their current status in life.

When you work with our spousal support lawyer in Virginia Beach, we will guide you in making the best possible decisions by presenting clear information about your needs, rights, and expectations. Do not agree to anything unless you have an attorney from Melone Hatley, P.C.

Evidence of adultery during a marriage can impact spousal support, and this is a critical factor to keep in mind. Adultery can be construed in various ways, which may be a source of disagreement during the divorce proceedings. However, if it can be proved, the court may consider it when deciding spousal support.

If the dependent spouse committed adultery, and there is proof, the court may deny or reduce spousal support as a result. That means if your spouse tries to prove you committed adultery during the marriage, they may be told they do not have to pay as much.

Even if you do not believe they could prove this, make sure to allow our attorney in Virginia Beach to help you prepare for such claims.

If you are wrongly accused, we will work closely with you to develop evidence that suggests this is a false claim. It is difficult to have spousal support terminated just for this factor unless there is overwhelming proof, witness statements, and other data that demonstrates it. Our goal as your attorney will be to minimize or eliminate this possibility.