Obtain financial assistance with the aid of a Bullitt County spousal support (alimony or ‘maintenance’) or Child Support lawyer
Spousal support and child support issues in a Kentucky divorce are often quite contentious. At the Law Offices of John Schmidt & Associates PLLC, we help you through your divorce and ensure that your financial future stays secure. We strongly believe in the importance of helping our fellow Kentucky residents and devote ourselves to obtaining sufficient alimony to give you and your children the same quality of life you’ve always had.
Important Elements of Spousal Support and Child Support in a Kentucky Divorce:
- Spousal support or ‘maintenance’ is based upon the need of the recipient and the ability of the payor. It is not a specific calculation, but is based on several factors a Judge must consider under Kentucky Family Law.
- Child support in Kentucky is a much more formalized calculation. There is room for give and take, but the process must always begin with the actual calculation based upon the guideline computation.
- Spousal support and child support orders in a Kentucky divorce are either “Temporary” or “Permanent.” Temporary orders are issued at toward the beginning of the divorce process. “Permanent” does not mean forever, or until death or remarriage, it simply means the issue has been decided and this is the amount going forward until the time frame within the order is reached, or the matter is addressed in post-decree mediation or litigation.
The Amount of Maintenance / Spousal Support You Receive Depends on a Variety of Factors
Spousal support, also known as maintenance or alimony, is the name for financial aid you receive from your ex-spouse during or after your divorce. It is similar to child support, except that this aid is for your own expenses.
The amount of money you receive depends on factors including:
The length of your marriageThe standard of living you maintained in your marriage
The presence of marital misconduct
Your earning capacity
Your spouse’s earning capacity
A divorce lawyer determines how much support you are eligible to receive by assessing your pre-divorce lifestyle and your post-divorce outlook.
Our Spousal Support Attorneys Secure the Future of Your Family
To seek spousal support that helps you maintain your current standard of living, you need to work with an experienced divorce attorney from the Law Offices of John Schmidt & Associates right away. Our lawyers provide you with patient, kind support and seek results that may include:
Sufficient support. We seek to obtain as much spousal support for you as possible to give you a solid financial footing.Out-of-court settlements. We strive to ensure your divorce stays out of the courtroom, avoiding timely and costly litigation.
Plans for the future. Making a plan for going forward can provide peace of mind. We offer sound legal advice to keep you safe for years to come.
My name is John Schmidt, and after more than 25 years of service to this community I understand that spousal support can lead to a better and brighter future for you and your family. We work tirelessly and around the clock to obtain alimony settlements that are fair and reasonable. When settlement does not work, we’re ready to fight tooth and nail for your future in court.
Our Shepherdsville Child Support Attorneys Focus on You
Once we get you custody of your children resolved, we seek a resolution on child support. spousal support and child support are quite different in many ways. Under Kentucky divorce laws, the amount of child support you can receive will depend on several factors including:
Number of children- Childcare expenses
- Special needs of the children
- Healthcare expenses
- Income level of each spouse
- Existing support obligations
The Kentucky Child Support Guidelines include a calculation based upon many or all of these factors, and a few others. These guidelines (enacted early in the ’90s) created a rebuttable presumption that the amount determined by the guideline calculator is the appropriate starting point for any child support conversation or decision.
Kentucky uses the “Income Shares” model, that basically says each child should receive the same proportion of a parent’s income that they would have otherwise received if the divorce wasn’t happening.
However, the Court is not required to strictly adhere to these guidelines, and has the authority to deviate from the calculated result when appropriate. This can include when a separate agreement has been reached between the parties, in situations where one or both incomes are substantial, or when the guideline amount would be “unjust or inappropriate.”
Post-Decree Modification of a Spousal Support or Child Support Order
There are many valid reasons for requesting a post-decree modification of an existing spousal support and child support order(s). This includes a determination within the original spousal support order for the recipient to become self-sufficient within a given period of time, or a change in the amount of time a child spends with each parent.
If you and your former spouse wish to seek changes to an existing spousal support and child support order, the conversation can usually be facilitated between the parties.
If the parties are in complete agreement, our attorneys can draft appropriate paperwork and submit it to the Court for approval.
It is important to note that it is not legally sufficient for the parties to simply “agree to make a change.” Any such agreement should be in writing, and approved by the Court.
If the parties are in disagreement, we can negotiation on your behalf, or represent you in mediation or in a hearing or trial before the Judge.
Learn More About Spousal Support and Child Support in Your Divorce Case
We invite you to contact us via e-mail, schedule an appointment or call us today at (502) 509-1490 to get answers to your questions and to learn more about your unique circumstances and how to protect what is most important to you in your family law case.