Divorce brings many life changes, but some of the hardest are financial. Most couples’ major concern, after the custody of their children, is what financial changes the divorce will bring. Since it is different for each family and situation, today we are looking at how child support and alimony are calculated in Alabama.
Child support is money paid from one parent to the other to be used for the care of their children. It is based on the principle that parents are legally obligated to financially support their children, and that a child’s lifestyle should remain as consistent as possible following their parents’ divorce.
In Alabama, child support is calculated with a set formula. The formula considers both parent’s gross income from all sources, not just their regular paycheck. This includes sources like overtime, bonuses and any and all regular income generated outside of your job. Don’t let this be a surprise to you – you will be expected to produce your bank statements and credit card statements, to the other side, not just paystubs.
Child support will also include the children’s health insurance premium and any work-related childcare expenses. In most cases, whichever parent has been providing the children’s health insurance can continue to do so.
Alimony is a similar concept, but instead offers financial support to one of the spouses. Alimony is often provided when one spouse has a significantly higher income than the other, to guarantee the lower-earning spouse can continue to afford basic life expenses following the divorce.
In Alabama, alimony is determined by considering certain factors in our alimony statute. This is a somewhat recent change to Alabama law, where a Judge will consider several factors when calculating how much alimony support is appropriate. The Judge will consider factors such as standard of living, the health and age of the children, any outside income, and the custody award in the divorce when making a ruling about alimony.
A Judge can also decide if temporary alimony or child support are necessary, to fund the family while the divorce proceedings are pending. At Empowered Family Law, PC, we can paint an accurate and full picture of your financial situation when formulating requests for both temporary and permanent orders.
At Empowered Family Law, PC, we know how important securing financial support is to families going through the divorce process. Contact Empowered Family Law, PC today to discuss your family situation. We empower families to navigate difficult changes and create new beginnings!
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