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Child support and spousal support are among the main stressors when it comes to marriage dissolution. This is partly because all parents want is to adequately care for their children and themselves. Therefore, the need for experienced, solid help is crucial for your peace of mind.
Patrick Baghdaserians is a Pasadena child support attorney and family law specialist working in the Los Angeles area. Patrick Baghdaserians has over a decade of experience and is someone you want on your side when dealing with child support and spousal support issues.
Accessing your support is critical to moving forward with your life. When you need a dedicated Pasadena child and spousal support attorney to advocate for your rights in mediation or at court, Baghdaserians Law Group can help.
Child Support in Pasadena
A parent’s primary concern is their child’s well-being; receiving adequate child support is fundamental. First, when there arises any issue relating to the support of a minor child or an adult child for whom support is authorized, the court may order either parent or both parents to pay any amount as may be necessary for the child’s support.
In the overwhelming majority of circumstances, receiving child support will be the custodial parent with primary physical custody of the child. Typically, the other parent would be ordered to pay child support to that parent. However, in cases where both spouses share custody of their children and have equal parenting time, it may be possible to avoid implementing a Pasadena child support order altogether.
A minor child is a child under eighteen years of age. An adult child for whom support is authorized is an unmarried full-time high school student who is not self-supporting. Support should be provided until the child turns nineteen (19) or completes the 12th grade, whichever happens first.
The amount of child support one parent is set to receive is mathematically calculated. However, parents may stipulate a support amount below the uniform statewide guideline if certain conditions are met and the court approves the stipulation.
Some of the different factors that are taken into account when calculating the amount of a Pasadena child support order include:
- Both parent’s income and living expenses.
- Your existing child custody arrangement.
- Whether either parent has other children.
- Whether either parent has married or remarried.
If you have concerns that your child’s other parent could try to take advantage of you while trying to work out a child support agreement, you need a strong legal advocate on your side. Do not risk over-paying or losing out on the child support your child is entitled to by going into discussions without an attorney on your side.
You might also find yourself in need of a child support lawyer in Pasadena if you need to make modifications to your existing child support order. For your modification request to be granted, you will need to prove that doing so is in the best interests of your children. Requests for modifications can be given when either of the child’s parents gets a raise, loses their job, or remarries.
Spousal Support in Pasadena Divorces
In addition to receiving adequate child support, it is essential that one has the resources to take care of themselves adequately and can look out for their well-being. Spousal support can be both temporary and long-term.
Temporary Spousal Support
Temporary support is available when a marriage dissolution action is pending. In this case, the court may order either spouse to pay any amount necessary to support the other spouse. Generally speaking, the higher-earning spouse will be ordered to provide the lesser-earning spouse with temporary support to maintain their standard of living and hire a divorce attorney.
Regarding determining the amount of temporary support, the support may be ordered in any amount based on the party receiving support’s needs and the party paying the support’s ability to pay. The main reason for having temporary spousal support is to allow the spouse receiving the support to live in her or her accustomed manner while the action is still pending.
Long-Term Spousal Support
On the other hand, when it comes to long-term support, the court may order a party to pay spousal support to the other party in any amount and for any period the court deems reasonable. When determining an appropriate amount of spousal support, the court bases its decision on the marital standard of living.
However, if both spouses contributed financially to the marriage and one spouse does not earn considerably more, the courts may elect to deny a request for long-term spousal support in Pasadena.
The court is given wide discretion, which could set the support award at an amount greater than the support requirement, at least equal to the amount that the supported spouse would require to maintain the marital standard of living, or less than that. The additional considerations that the court takes into account while determining the grant of spousal support, besides the marital standard of living, also include various other parameters.
For example, the court must consider about fourteen (14) circumstances. Within those fourteen (14) circumstances included (1) each party’s assets and obligations, (2) each party’s age and health, (3) the goal that the supported party is self-supporting within a reasonable amount of time, and much more.
If you suspect that your spouse is going to try to go after a considerable amount of alimony, or if you believe your spouse should be court-ordered to pay you spousal support, make sure you have an experienced spousal support attorney in Pasadena to fight for your rights in court.
Additional factors a court may account for when determining whether spousal support is necessary, what type of spousal support is appropriate, and how much money spousal support payments should consist of include:
- The length of the marriage
- Whether either spouse was a victim of ongoing domestic abuse
- The lifestyle to which each spouse has grown accustomed
- Whether a marriage produced children
- Whether one spouse sacrificed a career or their earning potential to remain at home and raise the children while the other spouse worked
- Whether a spouse seeking alimony supported the other spouse during their marriage while they attended school or took, earned a professional license, different steps to optimize their earning potential
- Whether the spouse who may be required to make alimony payments will be able to do so without unreasonably jeopardizing their financial health
- Outstanding debts
- Property owned by both spouses
Spousal Support Termination in Pasadena
Before your divorce is finalized, a Pasadena spousal support lawyer can either:
- Demonstrate why you’re eligible to receive spousal support or
- Demonstrate why your soon-to-be ex’s request for spousal support shouldn’t be granted.
(If the court grants your spouse’s request for alimony, your lawyer can still show why you may not need to pay as much money as your spouse seeks. Or, they can show why alimony payments should stop after a certain period.)
There may also be instances when you can benefit from the assistance of a Pasadena spousal support attorney even after you’ve divorced your spouse.
For example, perhaps you’ve been ordered to pay alimony. You may one day petition the court to end spousal support if you believe it’s no longer necessary for you to make alimony payments. You might also petition the court to modify the terms of an existing spousal support termination order.
Common reasons to do so include (but aren’t necessarily limited to) the following:
- Your ex has entered a new marriage and no longer relies on you for support.
- Your ex has found new employment or no longer relies on alimony payments to maintain their financial health.
- You’ve lost a job, and there is reason to believe you won’t be able to find a job paying similar wages shortly.
- Your financial situation or that of your spouse has changed significantly, rendering an existing spousal support arrangement obsolete.
Petitioning the court to terminate or modify the terms of a spousal support arrangement doesn’t guarantee your request will immediately be granted. The expert spousal support lawyer in Pasadena at our law firm can present a strong case demonstrating why terminating or modifying a spousal support order is justified.
On the other hand, maybe your ex is petitioning the court to terminate or modify an agreement, but you don’t believe this is appropriate given the current circumstances. In this scenario, a lawyer can still show why the court shouldn’t grant your ex’s request.
Get Help From a Child and Spousal Support Lawyer in Pasadena
Overall, the process of marriage dissolution can be very overwhelming. Adequate support, whether child support or spousal support, is vital. Therefore, when deciding who to turn to, having someone with experience on your side when dealing with child and spousal support is essential.
Patrick Baghdaserians is an experienced Pasadena child attorney and family law specialist who has handled many child and spousal support cases over a decade of experience. Regardless of the reason, divorce is challenging. Make the process easy for you; schedule a consultation with Patrick Baghdaserians.
When you can exercise your rights in dealing with child and spousal support issues, contact our Pasadena spousal support attorney at Baghdaserians Law Group to schedule your initial case review. You can reach our office by phone at 626-460-9525. Or fill out our quick contact form, and we will contact you to learn more about your child support troubles in Pasadena.
FAQs About Child and Spousal Support
Child support is typically calculated based on guidelines established by state law, which consider both parents’ income, the number of children, and the amount of time each parent spends with the child. Other factors may include special needs of the child, health insurance coverage, and additional expenses like daycare or extracurricular activities. In some cases, the court may adjust the guidelines based on unique circumstances.
Yes, child support can be modified if there is a significant change in circumstances, such as a change in either parent’s income, a change in the child’s needs (e.g., medical or educational expenses), or a change in custody arrangements. To modify a child support order, the requesting parent must petition the court for a modification and demonstrate that the circumstances warrant a change.
When determining spousal support, the court looks at several factors, including:
- The length of the marriage
- The financial needs and resources of each spouse
- The standard of living during the marriage
- Each spouse’s ability to support themselves after the divorce
- Contributions to the marriage (including non-financial contributions like raising children or supporting the other spouse’s career)
- The age and health of each spouse
The court may award temporary or permanent spousal support, depending on the circumstances of the case.
The duration of spousal support varies depending on the circumstances of the case and the laws in your state. In short-term marriages, spousal support may last for a limited period, such as the length of the marriage or a few years after divorce. For longer marriages, spousal support may be awarded for a longer period, or even indefinitely, especially if the recipient spouse is unable to become financially independent. However, spousal support can be modified or terminated if either spouse’s circumstances change significantly.
Yes, spousal support can be modified or terminated if there is a substantial change in circumstances. Common reasons for modification or termination include a significant increase in the paying spouse’s income, a decrease in the recipient spouse’s need for support (e.g., they remarry or become self-supporting), or a change in the recipient spouse’s health or employment status. However, spousal support can only be modified or terminated by court order.
Child and spousal support issues can be complex, and it’s important to work with an experienced family law attorney who can help you understand your rights and obligations, as well as represent your interests in court if necessary.
