Alimony is designed to ensure the financially disadvantaged spouse is able to get temporary or permanent financial aid from the other spouse following a divorce. While not every spouse will request alimony, it can certainly come in handy in many cases.

There are six main types of spousal support in the state of California, including:

1. Temporary Alimony

Temporary alimony is exactly what it sounds like: short-term financial assistance from a spouse. This type of alimony is paid out while the couple is separated. Once divorced, alimony in this case is usually no longer paid out, except in special circumstances where alimony might be temporarily extended.

2. Reimbursement Alimony

This type of alimony requires that a spouse pays for the expense(s) that the other spouse paid out on behalf of them. For instance, if the husband was paying for his wife’s college expenses, the court may grant the husband this type of alimony, so he can get reimbursed for his soon-to-be-ex’s tuition.

3. Lump-Sum Alimony

Lump-sum alimonies involve lump-sum (single; all at once) payments versus multiple payments provided over the course of several months. Sometimes lump-sum alimony is called transitional alimony because it provides enough cash upfront for the struggling spouse to get into a new living situation, purchase a new vehicle, or whatever it may be, so they can transition in life.

4. Rehabilitative Alimony

Because sometimes only one spouse in a marriage is financially independent, rehabilitative alimony is granted to the spouse who may not be as financially independent. For example, if a spouse is a stay-at-home parent, works gigs or completes freelance projects for money, or works part-time, obtaining rehabilitative alimony would provide them temporary financial support to eventually become financially independent and get adjusted to their new financial situation.

5. Permanent Alimony

Although it’s less likely to be granted than, say, temporary alimony, permanent alimony is still offered to spouses in the state of California under certain circumstances. As the name implies, permanent alimony is provided on a month-to-month basis until the spouse either dies or gets remarried. Typically, lifetime alimony is only offered when spouses have been married for 10 or more years.

6. Distribution of Property

Instead of paying monetary payments to a spouse, a divorcing couple may agree that the financially independent spouse gives the struggling spouse legal ownership of property instead.

Need Assistance Requesting Alimony from a Spouse? Attorney Howell Can Help!

Although a divorcing couple can come to an alimony agreement on their own, this isn’t always the case. However, by enlisting the help of a Family Law attorney in Norco, CA, your chances of coming to the best, most applicable alimony agreement as soon as possible is much higher.

Set up with an appointment for a consultation by calling Torrence L. Howell, a qualified Family Law attorney, at (909) 920-0908.