Spousal support is something that most people now associate with celebrities and those whom have earned or inherited a fortune. In the past, it was considered normal for a divorced former housewife to expect some form of financial maintenance, but as two-income households became more common, alimony laws changed. Today, adults who divorce are still able to receive financial support if the dissolution of their marriage will cause significant financial hardships.  Unfortunately, some adults who are entitled to alimony do not receive it because they are afraid of making the request. It is important to know why you should not be afraid to ask for alimony during your divorce to protect yourself and your financial future.

Post-Divorce Poverty

Regardless of how money-conscious you are and what budget reductions you make after a divorce, it is highly likely that you will see a significant decrease in your standard of living once your marriage is legally dissolved. Men and women usually experience a period of poverty or near poverty after their divorce. While most adults eventually rebound from their period of financial hardship, it is not unusual to emerge from this period of financial hardship with damaged credit and problems that will take years to resolve. Obtaining spousal support provides you with some form of financial assistance allowing you a chance to finish college, spend time finding a high paying job, and planning for a future instead of always reacting to an immediate cash flow problem.

More Beneficial to Payor

The idea of alimony payments benefiting the person responsible for sending the checks is unusual, but it is true that alimony may be more advantageous to your former spouse. Your spouse is able to deduct alimony payments from his or her income when filing taxes and you are required to report alimony as income. A tax-savvy spouse may be willing to agree to paying alimony especially if he or she is able to include child support payments (that are not tax deductible on their own) in the maintenance payments. Once your former spouse is aware of the potential benefits, he or she might be more willing to settle the divorce quickly, especially if it is clear to all parties that your spouse will be responsible for some type of financial support.

It is Nothing to be Ashamed of

One reason that people, especially men, do not request alimony is because they feel as though accepting financial support is embarrassing. The reality is that if you are awarded alimony by a judge, it is because you have a legal entitlement to it. More men are receiving alimony from their former spouses, and based on the steady increase each year, eventually it will be considered normal for any spouse regardless of gender to receive spousal support.

Explore Your Options

If you are going through a divorce and believe you are entitled to alimony, then you should not be afraid to ask for it. The alimony and spousal support attorneys at Vayman & Teitelbaum realize that fighting for financial support from an estranged spouse is not easy, but we are prepared provide the aggressive representation that you deserve. Contact one of our conveniently located Atlanta, Georgia offices today to schedule a private consultation.