Five Ways to Maximize Alimony in Utah

Alimony’s a tough deal in divorce. Because divorce is such a financial train wreck, there’s often not much money to go around.

I don’t say this to imply you won’t get alimony, especially if you’ve been married for more than four year. I say it because getting alimony takes work and requires laying the proper foundation.

With that in mind, here are five ways to maximize your chance at getting alimony (for a primer regarding how Utah courts calculate alimony, click here):

1. Put together an accurate accounting of your monthly expenses both now and during your marriage.

Alimony is really a function of two things: length of the marriage and need for support. To maximize your chance to receive alimony, you need to establish your lifestyle during your marriage (i.e., how much you spent on average per month when you were together as a married couple). You also need to establish what your monthly need is right now.

Establishing these two things will require you to gather bills and bank statements and work the numbers. Honestly, there’s no substitute for the work that goes in to this. If you can’t prove what you spent and what your spending, the court is much less likely to award alimony.

2. Get an accurate assessment of all income sources (both yours and your spouse’s).

If #1 was about establishing need for alimony, #2 here is about establishing incomes and ability to pay alimony. If there isn’t enough income to pay alimony, it’s pretty unlikely a court will award alimony. This mean you need to get a good handle on what you make and what your spouse makes. Tax returns are good for this, as are W2s and profit and loss statements (if you or your spouse own a company). Find these documents and make copies of them (they have a tendency to “disappear” when divorce cases start).

3. Establish your lack of work history/inability to work.

If you’ve been a stay-at-home mom taking care of your kids for years, or your unable to work due to a disability, you’ll need to prove that. Now, when it comes to being a stay-at-home mom, that’s pretty easy to prove (you testify to it). Disability is a bit harder. You have to get medical records and disability findings and give those to the court.

4. Don’t cohabitate or remarry.

Alimony ends on cohabitation or remarriage. So, if you want to maximize alimony, don’t cohabitate or remarry. (Cohabitation is, more or less, living with someone as if you were married and having sex with that person. It’s actually more complicated than that, but you get the gist.)

Now, this is Utah and people get remarried, so this advice isn’t all that practical, but it does have the virtue of being true.

5. Hire a good divorce attorney.

If you’re entitled to alimony and you want to maximize the amount you receive, hire a good divorce attorney. Next to child custody and parent-time, alimony is the most difficult and emotional issue in divorce. You’ll want someone there with you who knows the ins-and-outs of alimony to help you maximize the amount you receive. There is no substitute for a professional.

Protect Your Money And Your Family

We remove fear associated with divorce, protect your money & maximize time with your kids!

We're here to help. Let's determine your best options.

Call Us 24//7 at 801-685-9999 to Speak with a Live Representative

Utah Divorce FAQs
Top 100 Divorce Blog
What Clients Are Saying…
BrownLaw icon
Excellent
Brown Family Law
Based on 997 reviews
Nick Schwarz, a fantastic attorney, incredibly knowledgeable and caring. Wonderful attitude with clients. Highly responsive, and acts quickly. Never leaves you hanging.
Daniel Young and Carren Leavitt were excellent to work with. It was a very difficult process for me on a personal level and they walked me through each step to a successful outcome I’m very happy with .
Response from the owner:Thank you so much. Glad we could help.
David Handy and his team were fantastic in helping me navigate custody time with my daughter. He gave the me reassurance and encouragement I needed with each step and I couldn't be more grateful to him! Thanks David!
I can’t recommend Nick Schwarz enough. He really cares about his clients, goes above and beyond to exceed expectations and he does extra research to offer insights no one else would think of. I’ve worked with him on several projects in the past and he’s always both very impressive and intrinsically creative. Would recommend him to anyone.
Nick Schwarz and I were colleagues and he is extremely thoughtful and cared about clients. He is an excellent attorney and an even better person. He will make an excellent addition to any case.
Dani is the best paralegal I know. Clear communication, professional, and intelligent.
Paul Waldron offers a competent and mindful approach to navigating family law. Thank you Paul for being an asset in our community that we can all depend on.
Truly so grateful for the care and expertise of Brown Family Law. (Specifically Carren and Daniel) I’ve been going through a really difficult time, and having legal support met with such kindness and understanding meant the world to me. They not only provided excellent guidance, but also made me feel seen and supported. I will always refer people here and am so grateful for the compassion I experienced.
I cannot recommend Attorney Nicholas Schwarz highly enough! He is extremely professional, responsive, and truly dedicated to his clients. What sets Nick apart is not only his deep knowledge of the law, but also the genuine care and compassion he shows for his clients. He takes the time to explain everything clearly, answer questions promptly, and make you feel supported throughout the entire process. If you’re looking for someone who will fight for you while keeping your best interests at heart, Nick is your person!
Nick Schwarz is an outstanding attorney who combines sharp legal skills with genuine care for his clients. He is professional, attentive, and deeply committed to helping families through challenging times. I highly recommend him.
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

Categories

Related Posts