Q. My wife just said she was leaving me. She was at home with our children, who are 15 and 13 years old, and she says she doesn’t want to work but expects me to support her. There’s no reason she can’t work and I don’t make a fortune, but we always got by. Will I be forced to pay her even though she can only get one job?
– Worried about money
A. We are sorry to hear about your marriage.
Child support and child support are always important to understand when starting the divorce process.
In New Jersey, the purpose of alimony is to help the sponsored spouse maintain a lifestyle similar to that he or she has enjoyed throughout the marriage, said Jeralyn Lawrence, family law attorney at Lawrence Law in Watchung.
The right to enjoy this lifestyle belongs to both parties, she said.
“In circumstances where one spouse was housewife or child carer throughout the marriage while the other spouse earned income to support the household, alimony is appropriate,” she said. “However, the ability of a financially dependent spouse to work and earn an income is also taken into account by a court in determining ultimate maintenance entitlement.”
In the absence of extenuating circumstances, the dependent spouse will be credited, among other things, with an income based on their previous professional experience, which may include, among other things, the professional qualifications and the average income for their previous occupation, such as from. stated the New Jersey Department of Labor (NJDOL), said Lawrence.
“While crediting income to a financially dependent spouse may not completely remove maintenance obligations, adding income to a financially dependent spouse will likely reduce ultimate maintenance entitlement,” she said, noting that the facts and circumstances of each case are unique, therefore It is important to consult an experienced family law attorney to discuss these questions and considerations.
Email your questions to Ask@NJMoneyHelp.com.
Karin Price Mueller writes the Bamboozled column for NJ Advance Media and is the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Follow NJMoneyHelp on Twitter @NJMoneyHelp. Find NJMoneyHelp on Facebook. Sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com’s weekly e-newsletter.
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