Home » Spousal Maintenance

Colorado Spousal Maintenance Attorneys

Protecting Your Spousal Support Rights During Divorce – Call 1866-601-5518 to Schedule a Free Initial Consultation.

Colorado spousal maintenance law comes into play when one of the parties is unable to totally support themselves, Colorado law requires that the dependent spouse receive financial benefits from the spouse who is capable of providing spousal support alimony spousal mainenance coloradosuch benefits. In Colorado, this is also called Spousal Support. 

Several factors weigh in when making a determination as to whether a party to a divorce or separation in Colorado is eligible to receive Spousal Maintenance / Alimony Attorney, including the length of the marriage, the roles of the parties during the marriage, the education and skills of each party, the ages and health of the parties, as well as other circumstances. It is critical that you build a compelling case either to prove that you need spousal maintenance, or to show that your spouse does not require financial assistance. 

Proposing a strong spousal support case to a family law court requires skill and comprehensive legal knowledge and/or arguments to the Court to provide your position. Your best bet to a successful outcome is to hire a professional and experienced Colorado family law attorney to represent your interest.

 

Watson family lawyers serve spousal maintenance clients in the Denver metro areas and throughout Colorado. In divorces where one spouse is the primary breadwinner, alimony can be an extremely important part of the agreement. In a divorce proceeding, the standard of living established during the marriage is a major consideration in determining spousal support and the calculation of the paying spouse’s obligation. No matter which side of the case you are on, be sure that you have an experienced attorney on your side who will fight to protect your interests. Watson family lawyers also aggressively fight for your spousal maintenance rights (formerly alimony), negotiate acceptable terms and ensure that you maintain a standard of living equivalent to that during the marriage.

Our lawyers can assist you with:

  • Enforcement of spousal maintenance in CO
  • Temporary Spousal Maintenance
  • Modification
  • Termination
  • Out of state matters
  • Representation at mediation
  • Colorado divorce

Understand Your Spousal Support Rights Under Colorado Law

Spousal maintenance is usually granted to the spouse that is unable to support him or herself after a Colorado divorce or legal separation. Colorado law does not favor wives over husbands when deciding the terms of a spousal maintenance agreement. Usually it is the ex-spouse with the greater financial means or income that will be ordered to pay spousal maintenance if the other party needs it.

Temporary spousal maintenance is usually granted while the parties arrive at a permanent spousal maintenance decree.

The duration of the marriage, the income and earning capacities of both parties, the standard of living maintained by a couple during a marriage, and whether one party is the primary residential parent receiving child support are taken into consideration.

Protect Your Rights

When deciding whether or not you want to pursue spousal support/ spousal maintenance you want to consider:

  • Whether you need to go back to school to increase your earning capacity
  • How much you contributed to the marriage
  • Whether you are choosing a similar lifestyle to that during before the divorce

Colorado Divorce Spousal Support Law Does Not Automatically Award Spousal Maintenance: Colorado spousal maintenance is not an automatic entitlement in a divorce. However, determining your rights requires you to consult with the best divorce lawyer that can argue for you and protect your rights.  Watson family lawyers will help you to:

  • Determine your need for alimony
  • Establish defenses why you should not have to pay spousal maintenance
  • Assess financial ability and need
  • Determine income or underemployment
  • Apply your situation to Colorado spousal support law to establish your rights

When Does Colorado Alimony Law Award Temporary Maintenance?

Divorce spousal support is presumed when a couple’s combined gross annual income is less than $75,000. Unless your spousal support lawyer provides justified evidence at a temporary orders hearing the Colorado family law court will award maintenance equal to 40% of the higher income earner’s gross monthly income minus 50% of the lower income earner’s gross monthly income. This part of Colorado spousal support law applies regardless of the length of the marriage.

Maintenance after Dissolution of Marriage

Under Colorado spousal support law, a family law judge may apply a different analysis than temporary maintenance. Colorado divorce law sets out the factors to consider when determining alimony, including the following:

  • The financial resources of the party seeking maintenance, including marital property apportioned to such party, and the party’s ability to meet his or her needs independently, including the extent to which a provision for support of a child living with the party includes a sum for that party;
  • The time necessary to acquire sufficient education or training to enable the party seeking maintenance to find appropriate employment and that party’s future earning capacity;
  • The standard of living established during the marriage;
  • The duration of the marriage;
  • The age and the physical and emotional condition of the spouse seeking maintenance; and
  • The ability of the spouse from whom maintenance is sought to meet his or her needs while meeting those of the spouse seeking maintenance.

Are You or Your Spouse Underemployed? If you are looking for divorce spousal support in Colorado, you might want to consider whether your or your spouse in underemployed. A Family law court in Denver or any other location might impute income if it believes you, or your spouse has more earning capacity than you might want to believe. This is where having the best divorce lawyer at Watson & Associates can better prepare you from being blindsided.

Hire an Alimony Attorney that Understands Colorado Law: Colorado spousal maintenance law allows either party (husband or wife) rights to spousal support. Watson family lawyers represent either party and will apply Colorado alimony law to the fullest in order to protect your rights.

Other Family Law Services

Besides handling your spousal maintenance needs, Watson’s family lawyers also handle:

Statewide help: Our Denver spousal support and alimony attorneys represent parents throughout Colorado including Cherry Creek, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Lakewood, Aurora, Thornton, Broomfield, Arapahoe County, Adams County, Jefferson County, Denver County and Colorado Springs.

Call us Today

If you are filing for divorce, seriously consider hiring our experienced Denver spousal support attorneys to protect or defend your rights. Contact us at 720-941-7200.