In Pennsylvania, divorce cases may require either party to pay alimony based on certain conditions. These conditions may relate to a prenuptial agreement or other specification related to the case. The following are details about these requirements to discuss with a spousal support law attorney in Stroudsburg, PA.
Why Is Alimony Assigned?
Typically, the court may require a spouse to pay alimony to ensure that their spouse can afford to achieve the standard of living they had during the marriage. These payments are provided to pay for certain expenses if the spouse is uneducated and cannot become gainfully employed. The payments are available according to the instructions presented by the judge.
Property in Lieu of Alimony
In some cases, the judge may award higher valued properties or assets to the spouse with the lowest income. This provides them with assets that could be liquidated to acquire a larger lump sum. This could accommodate some of their requirements and prevent the other spouse from providing monthly payments. They may also accept more assets or properties instead of requesting alimony. The point is to provide each party their fair share based on their earning capacity.
Educational Programs and Assistance
Instead of providing alimony payments, a spouse could be ordered to pay the full cost of an educational program. These programs assist them in increasing their earning capacity and preventing them from facing a financial hardship. This could increase their earning capacity to a level in which they can maintain the same lifestyle they had when they were married.
How Alimony Is Required in a Prenuptial Agreement
In a prenup, the spouse is ordered to pay alimony as a form of punishment in some cases. Typically, a spouse is ordered to pay alimony after they were unfaithful or found guilty of infidelity.
In Pennsylvania, divorce cases will lead to alimony payments under certain conditions. These may start with the violation of a prenup. It could also equate to the repercussions of abandoning a spouse as well. Petitioners who need to discuss these requirements should contact a spousal support law attorney in Stroudsburg, PA or click here for more information.