Galveston County Spousal Support Lawyer

Galveston Spousal Support Attorney Serving Galveston County

Financial issues are likely to be a significant concern for anyone who is going through a divorce. The end of a marriage will require both spouses to make major changes to their lives, and they will often need to scale back their spending, make adjustments to their living situations, and rework their budgets to ensure that they will be able to cover all of their expenses on a single income. However, there are some situations where a spouse may be unable to meet their ongoing needs on their own. For example, a person who had been a stay-at-home parent may not have worked for multiple years, and they may be unable to find employment that will allow them to earn enough to support themselves and their children while also providing the necessary childcare. In these situations or other cases where one spouse will be at a significant financial disadvantage, a person may ask for financial support from their former partner.

Divorce cases involving spousal maintenance (also known as alimony or spousal support) can become complicated very quickly. Spouses may not agree on whether spousal support is needed, or they may disagree about the amount that should be paid. To ensure that these issues will be addressed correctly, it is important to work with an attorney who understands the applicable laws and who can advocate for your best interests. Daniel R. Bacalis, P.C. can provide you with legal help in these cases. Whether you are seeking spousal maintenance or have been asked to pay support to your spouse, we can advise you on how to proceed, and we can advocate for an outcome that will protect your rights and financial interests.

Texas Spousal Maintenance Laws

The Texas Family Code details the eligibility requirements for spousal maintenance. In general, a person will only be eligible for court-ordered maintenance if one of the following is true:

• The couple was married for at least 10 years, and the spouse seeking maintenance will be unable to earn income sufficient to meet their reasonable needs.
• The spouse seeking maintenance has a physical or mental disability that has made it impossible to earn enough to meet their needs.
• A parent will have custody of a child who has a physical or mental disability that requires extraordinary care or supervision, and these issues prevent that parent from being able to provide for their own needs.
• A person is requesting maintenance from a spouse who was convicted of domestic violence within two years before the couple's divorce began or while the case is ongoing.

If, based on one of the above factors, a spouse is eligible for spousal support, the court will determine an appropriate amount that should be paid, as well as the duration of time that payments will last. The amount and duration may be determined by considering factors such as each spouse's ability to provide for their own financial needs, the separate property that both spouses brought to their marriage, the spouses' respective levels of education and employment skills, whether the spouse receiving maintenance will require time to pursue education or career training, any contributions that a spouse made toward the other spouse's education or career, and a spouse's contributions toward their family as a homemaker. A court may also look at whether either spouse has attempted to conceal property or destroyed or wasted marital assets, and marital misconduct such as adultery may also be considered.

Contact Our La Marque Spousal Support Attorney

During your divorce, you may need to request that the court award spousal maintenance, or you may need to respond to this type of request from your spouse. Depending on your situation and your ability to cooperate with your spouse, you may be able to complete an uncontested divorce and negotiate a settlement that details whether spousal support will be paid, and if so, the amount and duration of these payments. Whatever approach you choose to take, Attorney Daniel Bacalis can provide the legal help and representation you need. To discuss these and other divorce-related matters in a free, confidential consultation, contact our office today at 409-392-1511. We help divorcing spouses address financial issues and other matters in Hitchcock, Dickinson, Brazoria County, Galveston County, Texas City, Galveston, League City, and La Marque.