What is Spousal Support (Maintenance) in Polk County in Des Moines, Iowa?
In Iowa, spousal support is designed to provide financial help for a spouse in need both during and potentially for some time once the divorce is final. Currently, Iowa recognizes three types of spousal support: traditional, rehabilitative, and reimbursement.
- Traditional Support – Traditional support is designed to aid spouses who can no longer achieve financial self-sufficiency, often due to factors such as advanced age, illness, or other specific reasons. Typically, judges reserve traditional support for marriages of extended duration, especially those where one spouse dedicated considerable time to home and family care. This form of support tends to be long-lasting, in some cases even permanent, unless there are substantial changes in circumstances for either spouse, prompting the court to reconsider or end the support arrangement.
- Rehabilitative Support – Rehabilitative support offers a temporary solution, aiming to provide financial assistance for a spouse to attain self-sufficiency. This may involve a designated period for obtaining essential education or job training. It’s important to highlight that courts frequently request spouses receiving rehabilitative support to articulate a plan outlining their strategy for achieving self-sufficiency.
- Reimbursement Support – This form of support is relatively uncommon in Iowa. It’s purpose is to compensate a spouse who financially supported the career development and education of the other spouse. In such cases, the court may mandate the spouse who benefited from the degree or training to reimburse the spouse who actively contributed financially while the training took place. This support is typically temporary and concludes once the paying spouse fulfills the specific order set by the court.
It is important that you have a lawyer on your side who understands the law and will hard diligently to protect your interests. At Stange Law Firm, we represent clients throughout Polk County from our office in Des Moines, IA in all types of spousal support cases. No matter which side of the case you are on, we are dedicated to doing everything in our power to secure the most favorable possible result on your behalf.
Spousal Support in Polk County, Iowa in Des Moines
In Iowa, either party may request and subsequently be awarded spousal support. This award may be for a limited or an indefinite amount of time, and is contingent on proving that the requesting spouse has a financial need and that the other spouse has the means to pay.
Some of the factors that Iowa courts may consider when determining spousal support include:
- The duration of the marriage
- The age, physical, and emotional health of the parties
- The distribution of property in the divorce
- The education level of each party at the time of marriage and at the time of the divorce
- The earning capacity of the party seeking maintenance
- The feasibility of the party seeking maintenance becoming self-sufficient at a standard of living reasonably compared to the marriage
- Tax consequences
- Any mutual agreement made by the spouses concerning financial or service contributions by one spouse with the expectation of future reciprocation or compensation by the other spouse
- Provisions of any prenuptial agreement
- Other factors that the court deems relevant
Handling Spousal Support in Des Moines, Iowa in Polk County
To speak to a spousal support attorney who can help you in Des Moines, Iowa in Polk County, call us at 855-805-0595 or contact our law firm online.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Polk County Family Court, please visit the following links:
- Polk County Circuit Clerk’s Office: More information regarding the Polk County Circuit Clerk’s office and the Polk County Courthouse can be found here.
- Polk County Court Rules: Each local courthouse has its own rules and procedures. Learn more about the rules for the Polk County Court here.
- Polk County Family Law Forms & Information: Searching for the proper forms for Polk County Family Court? Find them at this link.
- Polk County Courthouse: Click here for the address and directions to the Polk County Courthouse from Google Maps.
Contact Our Spousal Support Lawyers in Des Moines, Iowa in Polk County Today
Are you interested in scheduling a consultation with a family law attorney to help you with your spousal support matter in Des Moines? If so, schedule a confidential appointment with one of our lawyers by contacting us online.
Polk County (Des Moines), Iowa Office (515-706-9130) | 699 Walnut St., Suite 455, Des Moines, Iowa 50309
