As you go through the property division process in your divorce, your primary goal should be to ensure you have a certain level of financial stability as you begin your post-divorce life. Yet even your fair share of the community property may not be enough to allow you to afford to live in your current home or something equivalent, keep up your car payments, keep your gym membership or otherwise maintain the sort of lifestyle you enjoyed during your marriage.
If that’s the case, then you should consider seeking alimony, or as it is often known in Texas, spousal maintenance. A successful argument for this type of support will lead to ongoing payments that allow you to enjoy the marital standard of living until you become self-sufficient.
How can you build a case for spousal support?
There’s a lot of evidence you can gather and present to demonstrate that you’re entitled to spousal maintenance. Here are some of the key places you’ll want to look as you build your case:
- Indicators of the marital standard of living, such as the home you lived in, the car you drove and the frequency with which you shopped and dined out.
- Your spouse’s financial resources that demonstrate their ability to pay spousal support while still maintaining their own stability.
- A post-divorce budget that shows your income and debt obligations, thus showing what sort of support you need to stay afloat in the next chapter of your life.
- Signs that you made sacrifices during your marriage to support your spouse or your kids, such as giving up your education or career to raise your family.
Aggressively advocate for the spousal support you deserve
There’s a wide range of evidence you may be able to use to support a request for alimony, so be sure to discuss the unique circumstances of your case with a legal professional to learn the best way forward. Hopefully then you can confidently proceed with your request in a way that’ll lead to the outcome that you want and deserve.