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How long can you receive spousal support in California?

On Behalf of | Oct 10, 2019 | Divorce |

At times, it may feel like the stress of a California divorce will not end. From property division to child custody, it can feel like the issues keep coming. Spousal support is one of the issues that you may have to negotiate during your divorce proceedings. California law states that the court can order one spouse to pay spousal support for a reasonable amount of time. What most people want to know, however, is how long spousal support lasts.

There are a lot of factors that the court considers in regards to spousal support. The court looks at the couple’s standard of living before the divorce. The law will look at the person asking for support and determine what his or her marketable skills are, the expenses he or she needs to acquire education or retraining to become marketable. In a marriage where one party supports the other and one party takes care of domestic duties, these times of unemployment look bad in the eyes of employers. The court accounts for these struggles.

If a court orders spousal support, will it be forever? In shorter duration marriages, the support lasts for half of the length of the marriage. This is if the duration is less than 10 years. In longer marriages, the court has free reign over the duration of spousal support. Often, the court wants to help ease the transition from married into single life. However, there are exceptions where a spouse may earn lifetime support.

None of the above is meant to provide legal advice. It is simply to inform on spousal support.

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