Marriage dissolution comes with many unique nuances, and spousal maintenance payments are one of them. If you are wondering, “what are maintenance payments?“, the concept is fairly straightforward. When a divorce takes place between two parties that individually have varying levels of income and earning potential, spousal maintenance is often utilized to bridge the gap.
What Are Maintenance Payments?
Sometimes referred to as alimony or spousal support, maintenance payments can be decided upon by the divorcing parties or be established by the courts. Either way, the purpose of the payments is to provide support to the spouse that has a lower earning potential, possibly due to their focus on family affairs rather than being career-oriented. A lot of marriages include one spouse staying home to care for the children and the household, and in such situations, they may have forfeited income in order to be the primary parent at home. Whatever the reason for the payments, the level of support can be paid monthly or in a lump sum.
Maintenance Payments Post-Divorce
Often the level of payments that is set at the time of divorce must be amended during the ensuing years. Former spouses may consult their divorce attorneys with questions such as, what are maintenance payments, and how can they be altered? If you have previously agreed to spousal maintenance but the financial situation of one or both parties has changed, you will need to petition the court for any adjustments to the payment level.
Divorce settlements can require future attention, and if you are looking to either pay less maintenance, or your circumstances require that you petition the court for more, an experienced family law attorney can help you to successfully navigate the process.
Fay, Farrow and Associates, PC is a greater-Chicago area law firm that specializes in family law and divorce. Based in Naperville, IL the firm serves the needs of clients located in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and Will counties.
