HOW SHOULD I GET MY ALIMONY PAID TO ME? (Attorneys in Jupiter, Fl)
A a good portion of our divorce practice involves the modification of existing child support and alimony awards. A lot of our clients come to us having lost their jobs, losing homes, taking pay cuts, losing bonuses and other compensation that was previously used to determine a child support or alimony obligations.
Where someone has received a prior alimony award and relies on those monthly payments to meet their basic living expenses, this can be a disaster. Regardless of whether or not an alimony award is non-modifiable, if the person responsible for making alimony payments loses a job and doesn’t have any assets, your chances of being able to hold someone in contempt for non-payment of alimony and actually collect it – is difficult. In the event your former spouse retires, loses a job or cannot make alimony payments, you may very well receive a vastly reduced alimony payment or nothing at all.
We tend to advise our clients who are entitled to any form of alimony to consider the idea of “lump sum” upfront payments so that they can avoid the issue of an alimony award being terminated or reduced in the future based upon some changed situation. If there are liquid assets available during the initial divorce proceeding you should see how much of those assets can have distributed to you in a settlement in exchange for a waiver of or reduced alimony payment. You never know what the future holds and if there is any way to “get your money up front” you should do it even if that means lowering your monthly alimony payments. If you play it smart with your lump sum payment and hire a qualified financial planner, it may be a better for you in the long run.
If you have any question regarding this or any other legal matter our firm may be able to help you. Please contact Jupiter Legal Advocates at (561) 748-8000 or email us at [email protected] for further information and assistance. We try our very best to respond immediately.
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JUPITER LEGAL ADVOCATES
561 748-8000 or email us at:
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