Alimony Attorney in Denver, Colorado
The alimony lawyer at Anderson Barkley, LLC in Denver, Colorado can assist you if you are going through a divorce and believe you may deserve spousal support. Alimony is money paid from one spouse to another either during the course of a divorce, for a period of time after a divorce, or indefinitely after a divorce. Sometimes alimony might be paid in a lump sum, in the form of real estate, asset, property, or cash, or it might be paid periodically. In general, alimony is usually awarded to a spouse where one partner makes significantly more money than the other and the couple has been married for a significant amount of time.
Different states handle alimony in their own way. In Colorado, judges have discretion about whether to award alimony or not, but they generally follow Colorado’s alimony guidelines to ensure consistency between judges. However, judges still have the ability to look at individual circumstances when deciding what alimony award to give. This means that whether or not you’ll get alimony will depend upon the strength of the case you present to the judge during your divorce case. While there are guides that a judge can use to determine alimony amounts, a judge can still consider the individual details of a case. However, in most cases, judges follow the guidelines, to ensure consistency.
If you are thinking of filing for divorce, or are in the process of filing for divorce, and have questions about spousal maintenance, reach out to Anderson Barkley, LLC. The alimony lawyer in Denver, Colorado are here to help you. They can review Colorado’s alimony guidelines, help you understand what you may be entitled to receive, and help you reach a fair divorce settlement that allows you to move forward with your life.
Colorado’s Alimony Guidelines
What are Colorado’s alimony guidelines? The guidelines and formulas can be complex for a lay person to follow. For example, they take into account the earning difference between you and your spouse, how long you have been married, and any other mitigating circumstances. Based on these numbers, the alimony guidelines consider percentages of these numbers to determine the amount of your award. In general, you won’t be expected to pay alimony for more than half the length of time you have been married, though if you have been married for a shorter period of time, your alimony period may be less than half the length of the marriage. But then again, if you have been married for a very long time, or more than 20 years, or are elderly, it may be possible to receive a lifetime alimony award. Sounds confusing? It can be.
Pursue a Fair Agreement
Reach Out NowThe alimony lawyer at Anderson Barkley, LLC in Denver, Colorado can review various factors, including the length of your marriage, the difference in earnings between you and your spouse, and any other important factors that may play a role. For example, did you support your spouse in school or pay for your spouse’s schooling? Did you care for children while your spouse furthered his or her career? Do you need additional training or education to return to the workforce? These factors may play a role in your alimony award.
The alimony lawyer at Anderson Barkley, LLC in Denver, Colorado are here to help you sort it out. They can estimate the amount of spousal support you may be likely to receive from the courts, and can try to resolve your divorce case outside of court. However, if your case cannot be resolved outside of court, Anderson Barkley, LLC in Denver, Colorado are here to help.
Other Things to Consider with Alimony
When it comes to working out an alimony agreement, there are many factors to consider. For example, should you accept a lump sum, or regular payments? Should you choose a modifiable or non-modifiable alimony arrangement? With an arrangement that can be modified, if you lose your job or your life circumstances change, you may be able to petition the court to pay less alimony. However, the other side of that coin is this: if you suddenly start earning more, it is possible your former spouse could also petition the court for more alimony. So, when it comes to deciding what kind of alimony arrangement you’ll want to make, you’ll need to consider your situation, your means, your estimated future earnings, and the length of the alimony award.
At the end of the day, calculating alimony and deciding the right course forward is best navigated with the help of an alimony lawyer. Many couples may enter into non-negotiable alimony agreements, not realizing what they are getting into. Others may get into negotiable agreements, not realizing they are exposing themselves to higher payments, potentially. At the end of the day, the best thing you can do when it comes to alimony is to speak to your alimony lawyer. Reach out to the alimony lawyer at Anderson Barkley, LLC in Denver, Colorado today. The alimony lawyer can review your case, estimate your alimony award using Colorado’s guidelines, and help you with the next steps to get the alimony you may be entitled to receive under the law.