Starting a new chapter of life post-divorce can be frightening and exciting at the same time. But anxiety can be amped up when marriage dissolution is accompanied by financial uncertainty. To avoid this, Midwesterners need to ensure that property division matters are handled with care. By doing so, they can ensure that they receive a fair portion of marital assets, which can start them off on the right financial footing.

Another way to obtain financial security post-divorce is to seek alimony, also referred to as spousal support. These financial payments are often awarded to spouses who gave up an education and/or career to support a family or further the education/career of the other spouse. In essence, spousal support is about providing a fair financial shake to those who have sacrificed for the sake of the marriage.

But alimony isn’t automatically awarded in every case. Instead, if the couple can’t resolve the issue on their own then a court will consider a number of factors to determine if alimony is appropriate and, if so, how much should be paid. Amongst these factors are the length of the marriage, the standard of living that was enjoyed during the marriage, the amount of time needed for the potentially receiving spouse to obtain an adequate education or career and the physical, emotional and financial state of each party.

Alimony may be court-ordered to last for a significant period of time, thereby providing significant financial relief to those who need it. On the other hand, spousal support can prove quite expensive for those who are ordered to pay it. Therefore, regardless of which side of the spousal support argument an individual finds him or herself, there is a lot at stake. This is why many Midwesterners find it in their best interests to acquire the assistance of a skilled divorce attorney to handle these matters.