Spousal support, or alimony, may be awarded during a legal separation. The aim is to ensure that the lower-earning spouse can maintain a similar standard of living. The amount and duration of spousal support depend on factors such as the length of the marriage, the needs of the receiving spouse, and the paying spouse’s ability to pay. During the separation process, temporary spousal support orders can be issued to provide financial assistance until a final agreement is reached. These orders can be modified if circumstances change. If you remain living with your partner during or after the legal separation process, it is common to delay spousal support until you are no longer living together. This is because while living together, you likely continue to share costs and bills and if support commences, the recipient would then contribute a portion back to the joint costs. But there is not one way of handling this period of time and couples can work with a legal separation lawyer specializing in creative separation settlement agreements tailored to the needs of each client.
