Alimony in Utah: A guide for divorcing couples

Marriages fail – That’s the hard truth. If you have tried everything to save your marriage but failed, divorce may become an eventuality. Alimony, also known as spousal support in Utah, is one of the common points of contentions for divorcing couples. This refers to the regular payment from one spouse to another, which is important for the latter’s financial wellbeing. Discussing alimony with your ex is never easy, which is precisely why you may want to talk to a Salt Lake City divorce lawyer. The right divorce lawyer can negotiate and mediate with your spouse and their lawyer, to come to an agreement. In this post, we are sharing a few details about alimony in Utah. 

How is the alimony decided?

Either of the spouses can file for alimony, and the gender doesn’t matter. Utah courts will consider a bunch of factors before deciding on alimony, such as – 

  1. Economic aspects. What are the financial expectations of the spouse requesting alimony? Can the other spouse pay for the same? Was the spouse requesting alimony employed before the marriage? Are they employable now? The court will look into details of income and financials before anything else. 
  2. Fault. If this is a fault-based divorce, factors like adultery, domestic violence, and history of gambling, can have a role in deciding alimony. 
  3. Other factors. Another big factor that can influence alimony includes standard of living.   In some cases, the parent having custody of the child may request more alimony. Every case is unique, and the court will try to be as fair to both parties as possible.

Alimony duration

In majority of cases, alimony is temporary, or offered for a short duration. In Utah, the length of the marriage will be considered by the court to determine alimony. If the spouse receiving alimony dies or remarriages, alimony is terminated. 

Meet a lawyer

If you want to know more on whether you can get alimony from your spouse, talk to an attorney. A skilled lawyer can guide you further on the entire process and set realistic expectations with regards to financials. Hiring an attorney for your divorce in Utah doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Most lawyers usually charge an hourly rate, or can ask for a flat fee, but eventually, their expertise is what you pay for. Ask the attorney as how they have handled alimony matters in comparable cases, to know more about their experience. 

Comments are closed.