Spousal Support & Alimony Lawyers in Lucas County
Seeking Fair Alimony Orders during Divorce
The financial aspects of divorce are often the source of conflict. Spousal support – also known as alimony – can lead to heated disputes between divorcing spouses. You and your spouse may negotiate and establish an alimony order together, but a court may intervene if you cannot reach an agreement. At Smith & Smith Law Office, LLC, our Lucas County spousal support attorneys help clients through difficult situations.
Contact our office at (419) 842-4629 for a consultation to discuss alimony in your divorce.
Types of Alimony in Ohio
Spousal support is not automatic in Ohio. A judge will decide if your situation qualifies for financial support. Judges may order temporary or permanent support. Temporary support is generally awarded during the divorce process when one spouse is not financially independent or when one spouse makes significantly more money than the other.
Permanent spousal support is awarded by the judge when the divorce is finalized. Support may either be short-term or long-term. Short-term spousal support may be awarded for a specific amount of time so the receiving spouse can get the education or training needed to become self-sufficient. Long-term alimony may be awarded when one spouse is not able to support themselves and is most common in long marriages.
How Courts Determine Spousal Support
In Ohio, there is no formula for calculating spousal support as there is with child support. It is left to the discretion of the judge to determine the amount and duration of alimony payments or whether to award support at all.
Judges consider a variety of factors when making decisions regarding spousal support, such as:
- The level of education and earning ability of each spouse
- Each spouse’s assets and debt
- All sources of income and retirement benefits
- The length of the marriage
- Standard of living in the marriage
- Age and health of each spouse
- One spouse’s contributions to the other’s education
- One spouse’s contributions in maintaining the home and caring for minor children
- Time needed for the dependent spouse to get education and training
- Tax implications of alimony
Spousal support may be awarded in a few different ways. In some cases, the court may order a lump sum payment to the receiving spouse, either in cash or property. Because most people don’t have the money to make a single payment, monthly payments are more common. In many situations, the court will order automatic payments to be withheld from the paying spouse’s paychecks.
Duration of Alimony
The duration of alimony can vary depending on the situation and whether the support is temporary or permanent. Temporary support that is awarded during the divorce process will end when the divorce becomes final. Permanent support may be awarded for a specific period of time. If permanent support is awarded without an end date, it will generally continue until the receiving spouse gets married again, lives with another partner, or either spouse dies.
Spousal Support Modifications
If there is an extreme change in circumstances – such as illness, disability, or an involuntary change in income – it may be possible to petition the court to modify your alimony order. However, you must be able to demonstrate that there is a significant change in circumstances to be successful.
Please call (419) 842-4629 for a free 10-minute phone consultation or schedule an appointment for a longer consultation in our office.
Why Choose Smith & Smith Law Office, LLC?
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Free Phone Consultations
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Committed to a 24 Hour Response Time
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Exclusively Practicing Family Law
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Put a Fierce Advocate On Your Side
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Affordable Financing Available
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Offering Alternative Options to Divorce
Get to Know Us Through the Eyes of Our Clients
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"She was an amazing lawyer"She was an amazing lawyer She Answered every question I had. Delivered excellency service and even helped me get everything I needed. If I ever have another problem I know who I am going to call!- Gary R.
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"Can not thank her enough"Christine is a life saver. She took what I thought was the end of my life and the system screwing me over to giving me my life back. She is my forever lawyer. Can not thank her enough- Joshua R.
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"If you’re looking for representation who is professional and thorough, this is the place!"If you’re looking for representation who is professional and thorough, this is the place. Christine’s knowledge is outstanding, she is someone who is compassionate and caring for all her clients! She took the time in listening to all my needs and trust her 100% of the way. If you’re ever stuck in a difficult situation for child support and child custody, she’s the person you want on your side helping you fight the battle.- Former Client
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"Christine was confident, had some great strategies of how we could fight this and really made me feel hope again."I spoke with Christine today regarding my divorce case that my previous attorney mishandled. After talking to over a dozen lawyers to try to find someone to help combat the mess I'm in, Christine was confident, had some great strategies of how we could fight this and really made me feel hope again. I am looking forward to working with her, I feel she will do a very good job handling my case and will fight for me.- Amanda B.
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"Christine has been absolutely amazing to work with in an especially difficult time."Christine has been absolutely amazing to work with in an especially difficult time. I am thankful for her knowledge and experience! I would highly recommend her!- Maggie W.
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"Definitely changed my life for the better."She is amazing. I went to her with a super complex case and she got me exactly what I wanted. Definitely changed my life for the better.- Gregory R.
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"Truly trustworthy and honest"Being new to Toledo and new to any kind of court issues, I was super nervous about getting a lawyer and finding someone I could trust. From the very first call I was sold. Misty and Christine both were extremely friendly, caring and even more important, upfront about what to expect. They didn't push me to make any decisions I wasnt comfortable with. I didn't have to sacrifice my life savings and they made things so easy for me (and actually even my now exhusband as well). I feel like if I had needed anything more than I did, they would have continued to go above and beyond. Truly trustworthy and honest. If you need someone in your corner this is the place go to. Thank you for helping me gain my freedom back!- Princess Arielle
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"If you need a family lawyer this is who you call"Amazing family-owned business, if you need a family lawyer this is who you call. Thank you so much for going above and beyond.