Spousal Maintenance

New City, New York Spousal Support Lawyers

Following the divorce, to the goal is to try to have you maintain the same lifestyle you enjoyed while married. At Hirshfeld & Hirshfeld in New City, New York, we will work with you to determine how much spousal maintenance you should pay or be receiving.

Unlike child support, spousal maintenance is not calculated pursuant to a set formula. Determining spousal maintenance is often said to be more "art" than "science." Without a set formula, spousal maintenance can be misused as a means for a jilted ex-spouse to get revenge. In order to best protect your interests in a spousal support dispute, you should hire a knowledgeable family law attorney. At our firm, we are experienced at handling spousal maintenance issues professionally and making sure that any agreement is fair to you and your needs.

At Hirshfeld & Hirshfeld, we try to keep the discussions civil and always try to settle or mediate the matter before proceeding. However, litigation is always an option. Money can bring out the worst in people and through the practice of collaborative law, we can help you finalize spousal maintenance arrangements in a cooperative, non-argumentative environment. The mediation process will give you control over your financial future and prevent a judge from making these important decisions for you. However, litigation is always an option, and if your case cannot be settled amicably, our lawyers will aggressively represent your interests in court.

Your attorney will review each party's expenses and incomes following the divorce or separation. As best as we can, we will attempt to project a budget for you after divorce or separation. We want to ensure that neither party is severely impaired financially and that support is not used as a weapon by either party to obtain an advantage over the other. Spousal maintenance is proper when there is a large discrepancy in earnings or assets and/or when the non-working spouse needs an opportunity to catch up economically to the working spouse.

For more information or to schedule an appointment regarding spousal maintenance, please contact us.