Mississippi Divorce Attorneys Protecting Clients’ Rights in the Awarding of Spousal Support
Helping individuals in Southaven, Hernando, Olive Branch, Horn Lake, Walls, Senatobia, Coldwater, and surrounding areas navigate the divorce process
The road to a settlement agreement in divorce can be a long and rocky one. The final step in that journey is the awarding of spousal support (also known as alimony) if appropriate. After the assets have been divided, and if it seems as if one party is left with a deficit, then spousal support may be considered. Spousal support is another contentious issue that may cause heated conflict in divorce negotiations.
At the law office of Taylor Jones Taylor, clients are offered comprehensive guidance when it comes to their divorce and their affected finances. Since 1964, the firm has helped to protect the interests of the people it serves by providing quality legal services. Attorneys in the firm are always prepared to fight on behalf of clients involved in a spousal support dispute.
What factors does the court consider when awarding alimony?
Some couples can agree from the start how much money one spouse will pay another in support, and how property will be divided. If a couple cannot, the court will settle the matter for them. The Chancery court will consider whether to award spousal support, how much support to award, and which type of support would be appropriate given the specific circumstances.
The court’s goal is to be fair to both spouses. In so doing there are many factors that they will consider before making a final ruling. Some of those factors include:
- Each spouse’s income and expenses
- Each spouse’s financial needs and debts
- The age and health of each spouse
- The length of the marriage
- The standard of living during the marriage
The 3 types of spousal support in Mississippi
The state of Mississippi has three types of spousal support that may be awarded at the court’s discretion in divorce:
- Periodic alimony. The goal of periodic spousal support is to provide the spouse who receives it with income. Periodic support will end when the receiving spouse remarries or the paying spouse dies. This form of support may be modified by increasing, decreasing or ending it, and the modification is made by the court.
- Lump sum alimony. Lump sum spousal support is not subject to modification unless one of the parties has committed fraud. The purpose of lump sum spousal support is to be an equalizer between the two parties and can be paid either in a lump sum or in fixed, periodic installments.
- Rehabilitative Alimony. Rehabilitative alimony allows one party to receive support from the other for a fixed period of time. The purpose of this form of support is to lend assistance to the spouse who is working towards becoming more self-supporting. Rehabilitative support may be modified by the court to increase, decrease or terminate the award.
Getting divorced may force you to deal with many complicated issues, make many difficult decisions and experience more emotional pain that you ever thought possible. But when you have a strong legal advocate by your side, it can make the complex process far less daunting. The Mississippi divorce attorneys at Taylor Jones Taylor will be there for you to help you negotiate the best settlement possible and help you begin the process of moving on with life after divorce.
Learn more about spousal support in Mississippi
At the law firm of Taylor Jones Taylor, our legal team is ready to help clients navigate the difficult process of divorce throughout the northwest region of Mississippi, in Southaven, Olive Branch, Hernando, Horn Lake, Walls, Senatobia, Coldwater, and beyond. Please call 662.342.1300, or fill out this contact form to make an appointment. How can we help your family today?
