Alimony is a common component of divorce cases. Each state has different laws regarding alimony payments, however, and different criteria that you must meet to qualify for spousal support.
We understand how the law works regarding alimony payments in Texas and have helped many of our clients with their cases.
You must be eligible for alimony in Texas
According to FindLaw, to receive alimony you must prove that you cannot afford to support yourself to meet your basic needs. Additionally, you must meet one of the following conditions to be eligible for alimony.
- In conjunction with the inability to support yourself, the reason you cannot do so is either because of an illness or disability, or you must care for a child with an illness or disability. If this is not the case, you may be able to receive alimony if you cannot support yourself and your marriage lasted for 10 years or more.
- Your spouse is guilty of an act of family violence that occurred either during the divorce proceedings or no more than two years before filing for divorce.
Typically, if you meet the criteria above the courts will grant your request for alimony.
Alimony payment limitations
As is the case in any state, there are limitations on how much alimony you can receive, and for how long. You cannot receive payments over 20% of your ex’s income, for example. Not only that but if your marriage was a short one, you may not receive alimony payments for longer than five years. The longer the marriage, however, the longer you may receive spousal support. More information about this topic is available on our webpage.
