Spousal maintenance as alimony is called in Colorado, is sometimes paid by a higher-earning spouse to a lower-earning or non-earning spouse during and after a Colorado divorce. No spouse is automatically entitled to maintenance. It is gender-neutral and awarded only in cases where this income is necessary to prevent severe economic consequences. When divorcing couples cannot agree on the amount of support that should be paid, a motion can be made to a Colorado divorce court requesting that it be ordered. The best way to find out what you’re entitled to collect, or likely to have to pay, is to speak to an experienced Colorado divorce attorney about your specific situation.
What Types Of Spousal Maintenance Are Available For A Colorado Divorce?
These are the types of spousal maintenance that can be awarded or agreed to in Colorado:
- Temporary Support: is paid by one spouse to the other during the divorce proceedings.
- Rehabilitative Support: is short-term support that extends beyond the resolution of the divorce for a specified period of time. Its purpose is to give the lower-earning or non-earning spouse time to acquire additional skills and career training to become self-supporting. This type of support is most common in marriages where one spouse spent more time raising a family which had a negative impact on their career. The length of support can vary greatly depending on the length of the marriage and the age of the children, but it’s generally not more than five years. it is the most common type of spousal support.
- Reimbursement Support: is where one spouse pays for the other’s job training and/or education post-divorce. The spouse receiving the education and training will get reimbursed by the other spouse.
- Permanent Support: has become extremely rare. It is only ordered in extreme cases where one spouse is unable to become financially independent due to their age, disability, or illness.
Contact the Drake Law Firm to Learn More
If you’re seeking support or are concerned about how much you might have to pay, it’s important to consult with an experienced Colorado divorce attorney. If you’d like to learn more, please call (303) 261-8111 to speak to a member of our team at the Drake Law Firm today.