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South Carolina Spousal Support Payment Factors

When a marriage is over, both spouses should have the opportunity to maintain a similar lifestyle to which they were accustomed during the marriage. In some situations, spousal support (sometimes called alimony) is awarded to one spouse to give them the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves in order to allow them to reenter or enter the workforce.

I am attorney Lisa M. Carver, and at my firm, The Carver Law Firm, L.L.C., I help clients throughout Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the surrounding communities understand the factors that are considered in spousal support arrangements as part of a divorce, including:

Length of the marriage: The length of the marriage may be a factor in the receiving spouse’s ability to be rehabilitated. If one spouse has spent 20 years raising the children, they would likely receive more support than if the couple had been married for a shorter period of time.

Fault grounds for the divorce: If adultery is found to have occurred on the part of the party asking for spousal support, they could lose their right to request or continue to receive such support.

The disparity in incomes: Spousal support considers each spouse’s incomes. Any disparity in income is taken into account, as well as the cause for the disparity. Were both spouses working during the marriage? If one spouse was not working, was he or she raising the family? Unlike child support payments, a court takes into consideration whether a party has the ability to pay spousal support.

Learn More About What To Expect

To learn more about the spousal support payments you may be expected to make or may be entitled to receive, contact my firm online. You can also call 843-502-0368 locally or toll-free at 866-623-7040 to work with an experienced South Carolina family law attorney.