In a divorce, the higher-earning spouse will often have to make support payments to the other spouse. These payments may be alimony or child support. In some cases, you may have to pay both. Courts typically favor child support over alimony because child support is a...
alimony
How much alimony should a woman over 50 plan to receive?
Preparing for a divorce when you are over the age of 50 requires careful planning because your financial circumstances may change significantly. While you could generally expect to receive alimony or spousal support, it may not be in the amount that maintains your...
How are spousal assets allocated in divorce?
If you are about to undergo divorce proceedings in Michigan, you might have some questions about alimony and how it works. To the uninitiated, alimony has an aura of mystery about it, so it is not unusual for people to have a few misconceptions about it. The term...
When is lump sum alimony a good idea?
In some cases, a spouse the court orders to pay spousal support may wish to simply pay the full alimony amount up front – a “lump sum” alimony payment. They avoid the frustration of making a payment every month, and both parties can move on. A lump sum has a few...
What factors will determine whether I will collect alimony?
Spousal support, or alimony, can be a contentious matter in Michigan divorces. Often, one person feels entitled to this financial support and the other person has every intention of avoiding this responsibility, which makes it exceedingly difficult to reach...
Which factors decrease the likelihood of receiving alimony?
The transition out of marriage is a difficult one for most people. After all, it is a challenge to untangle lives, rebuild a sense of stability and start this new chapter. This is especially true for a person who was financially dependent on his or her spouse. If you...
How could your alimony negotiations change under the new tax law?
The recent tax law, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, changed the federal deductibility of alimony. In divorces finalized during 2018, alimony is tax-deductible for the payor and taxable income for the recipient. On Jan. 1, 2019, however, the new tax law changes that. For...
Will new alimony law be a benefit or disadvantage for you?
The new tax bill and its implications on divorces might have caused confusion for many couples in Michigan and other states. Those who were considering divorce might have tried to get it done before the New Year. However, the new alimony tax laws will only apply to...
What are the enforcement methods for unpaid alimony?
Divorced people in Michigan are often dependent on the spousal support they receive from a former spouse -- even if it is only until he or she has established a regular income. However, payments may be withheld, leaving the question of possible enforcement. That...
After alimony is awarded, logging payments is critical
There are plenty of issues that any divorcing couple needs to handle before they can finalize they divorce. One of the issues that often comes up is alimony, a critical form of compensation that is awarded in certain cases. The determination for alimony is based on...