Spousal Maintenance

In Colorado, the legal term for alimony is “Spousal Maintenance.” Colorado spousal maintenance, sometimes called spousal support is determined by the needs of the spouse requesting it and the ability of the other spouse to pay. Spousal maintenance is not awarded if the Parties are not married. Every Colorado family law court handles spousal maintenance decisions on a case-by-case basis and judges have wide latitude when considering whether spousal support is appropriate and how much (if any) should be awarded.

Colorado Springs Spousal Maintenance Attorney Ray Chamberland represents both clients in need of spousal maintenance in the wake of a divorce or legal separation and clients that may become the “payors” of spousal maintenance.

Mr. Chamberland favors negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) over litigation, but he will fight for his clients rights in court if necessary.

Colorado Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance (alimony) is usually granted to the spouse that is unable to support him or herself after a Colorado divorce or legal separation. Colorado law does not favor wives over husbands when deciding the terms of a spousal maintenance agreement. Usually it is the ex-spouse with the greater financial means or income that will be ordered to pay spousal maintenance if the other party needs it and they can pay support while still meeting their own basic needs.

Temporary spousal maintenance is often granted at a Temporary Orders hearing prior to the issuance of a permanent decree of dissolution of marriage. The duration of the marriage, the income and earning capacities of both parties, the standard of living maintained by a couple during a marriage are taken into consideration.

Spousal Maintenance Does Not Apply to all Cases

A Colorado divorce or legal separation does not always lead to spousal maintenance. If the parties were married for less than three and a half years, support may not be granted at all. An ex-wife or ex-husband that is unable to reenter the workforce after more than 20 years of marriage may be granted permanent spousal maintenance. Another spouse may be granted spousal maintenance with the condition that he or she receives an education to become financially self-sufficient at a future time.

If you are the party that needs to receive spousal maintenance, Attorney Ray Chamberland will work hard to obtain the proper amount of maintenance for the necessary duration of time. If you are the party that is being asked to pay spousal maintenance, Ray Chamberland will do what he can to ensure that the support being asked of you is the fair amount or non at all.

Maintenance and Enforcement of Colorado Spousal Maintenance

Colorado spousal maintenance (alimony) agreements are subject to modification and termination. Mr. Chamberland represents both payor and recipient spouses in these matters. He can also help you take the legal steps to enforce your Colorado spousal maintenance agreement if your ex-spouse is late making payments or has stopped paying you.

If you are paying spousal maintenance and the situation has changed either through your former spouse’s earning increasing, your earnings decreasing or anything else that changes either of your financial situations such that a modification may be warranted, Ray Chamberland will fight to get your support decreased or stopped altogether in appropriate circumstances.

Military Spousal Maintenance

For over 25 years, Colorado Military Family Law Attorney Chamberland and his family moved across the United States, transferring to different bases in different states while serving in the US military. Attorney Chamberland served the United States military as a missile combat crew member and Staff Judge Advocate before setting up his Colorado Springs family law practice. Ray Chamberland is familiar with the unique circumstances and regulations that impact military couples when determining spousal maintenance, division of property, child custody, and child support. Visit Chamberland Law’s Military Family Law page for more information.

Clients Served

Many of Ray Chamberland’s Colorado divorce clients are residents of Colorado Springs, Cimarron Hills, Security-Widefield, Monument, Black Forest, Falcon, Peyton, or other cities and towns in El Paso County, Colorado

To schedule your initial consultation with Colorado Springs Spousal Maintenance Attorney Ray Chamberland, call Chamberland Law at (719) 527-3999 or contact us online.