Irvine Family Law Office
The city of Irvine in Orange County, California is a planned city which began development in the 1960s. It was formally incorporated in late December 1971, and the population has since grown to well over 200,000 residents.
From 2009 to 2013, the median household income in Irvine was $90,585 and over half (51.8%) of households were opposite sex married couples living together according to the 2010 US Census. The city is also home to a number of corporations as well as several internationally recognized higher education institutions such as Concordia University, the University of California, Irvine, and Pepperdine University.
As in communities across the country, the people of Irvine do have their share in divorce statistics, and how spousal support is determined is a question that is often asked.
How Spousal Support Works in California
Statistics have shown that the divorce rate in Orange County can be more than 20% greater than the national average. With many families in Irvine having high incomes, spousal support (also known as alimony) may become an issue in the event of a divorce.
Spousal support is a written agreement which states that one spouse must pay a certain amount of money to another spouse after they separate with plans to divorce. In California, there are two types of spousal support:
- Temporary spousal support
- Permanent spousal support
Temporary spousal support are regular payments made by the spouse to earns more money to the spouse who earns less. It is considered to be temporary as the amount is intended to provide financial support to a lower-income earning spouse throughout the divorce proceedings and it ends once a permanent spousal support agreement is in place.
Permanent spousal support (also known as long-term support) is a regular payment which is made to bring the lower-income earning spouse up to or near the “marital standard of living” after a divorce.
How Spousal Support Is Calculated
A variety of factors are taken into account when spousal support is calculated, including:
- The marketable skills of a supported spouse
- The support spouse’s earning capacity
- How much the supported spouse contributed to the paying spouse’s training, education, licensing and/or career
- The length of the marriage
- The financial needs of a spouse
Speak to a Landon Family Law Attorney Today
Spousal support, both temporary and permanent, can be confusing and there are a lot of factors which will be taken into consideration when determining what amount will be paid and for how long. If you are facing a divorce and want to understand your entitlements to receiving or paying spousal support, Landon Family Law can help.
We welcome you to call us today at (949) 257-5188.
