Wisconsin is a no-fault divorce state. This means adultery or cheating plays no direct role in whether a spouse receives or pays alimony, known as spousal maintenance. Even when one partner was completely blindsided by infidelity and upending long held plans, financial or otherwise, courts do not punish the cheating spouse or reward the other […]
When is Alimony Paid?
The primary purpose of alimony, also known as spousal maintenance, is to provide financial support to a lower earning or non-earning spouse so that they may maintain a similar standard of living enjoyed during the marriage. Alimony may also be awarded so that a spouse can gain skills or education needed to secure gainful employment […]
Securing Alimony and Child Support With Life Insurance
When you are awarded alimony or child support in a divorce, it is important for the court to order the payor to take out life insurance to secure the obligation. Life insurance is needed not only to make sure a child has sufficient support in the event of the payer’s untimely death, but also to […]
Cohabitation Grounds for Terminating Spousal Maintenance?
When a spouse receiving spousal maintenance remarries, the support obligation ends. But, what happens if an ex-spouse lives with someone outside of marriage? In Wisconsin, cohabitation may be grounds for a modification or cessation of spousal maintenance, but cohabitation alone is not enough to modify or terminate maintenance. A court will consider various factors to […]
Remarriage May Impact Spousal & Child Support in Wisconsin
Sometimes a financially dependent spouse is awarded spousal maintenance aka alimony in a divorce for a defined period of time or permanently depending on various factors such as the length of a marriage and financial need. If the recipient later remarries or cohabitates, alimony payments will end regardless of whether the remarriage improves the financial […]
Wisconsin Alimony Determination
If you are a stay-at-home parent considering divorce, you may have concerns about making ends meet after the divorce when you have been financially dependent on a spouse. Alimony or spousal maintenance is not always awarded in a Wisconsin divorce, but with the help of an experienced attorney you may be able to present a […]
Life Insurance for Child and Spousal Support Obligations
When spouses divorce, the higher earning spouse may be ordered to pay alimony or, if there are children from the marriage, child support. Because children in particular depend on the financial support of their parents, many wonder what happens in the event of a payor’s untimely death – is there a way to protect the […]
Terminate or Reduce Spousal Support
When you are ordered to pay Wisconsin spousal maintenance as part of your divorce, you may wonder what circumstances trigger the termination of the spousal support, aka alimony, payments or what you can do to reduce the amount you have to pay. An award of temporary or rehabilitative maintenance meant to provide time for a […]
Court Order for Wisconsin Alimony
If you have been awarded rehabilitative alimony for a period of time or permanent alimony, you may wonder how you will receive the spousal support payments and what you can do if your spouse does not make payments as ordered. If a paying spouse does not want to get tangled-up with making court ordered monthly […]
Finalizing Your Divorce in 2018 May Save You Money
A reminder to those considering divorce…new tax laws will impact how spousal maintenance is treated beginning January 1, 2019, which can make a difference in how much money remains in the the family unit. Current Tax Laws and Spousal Maintenance Spouses who pay alimony that finalize their divorce on or before December 31, 2018 will […]