San Diego Spousal Support Lawyer

Paying or receiving spousal support can impact you and your family for years after your divorce is over, and that’s why you need a San Diego spousal support lawyer who can advocate for your interests and fight to secure a fair divorce settlement. Our lawyers at Andy Cook Law are just that. For decades, they have helped thousands of individuals and families settle complicated, high-stakes spousal support disputes. You can trust our attorneys and office staff to provide an unparalleled level of service.

Do not leave your case up to chance or an inexperienced or under-qualified lawyer. Schedule a free consultation with our firm today. All it takes is a phone call or message online to set up yours. We can conduct these meetings virtually or in person, which makes starting with one of our San Diego spousal support lawyers simple.

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Andy Cook Law — Not Just Another Family Law Attorney

Andy Cook is a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), which is a distinguished title given by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization to attorneys who show incredible mastery when it comes to family law.

To achieve CFLS status, attorneys need to meet very strict standards, like:

• Specialized experience. The majority of their legal practice must be devoted to family law, where they handle complicated, high-stakes cases with proven success.
• Rigorous examination. Candidates must pass a grueling written exam that covers some of the finer aspects of California family law, including little-utilized legal strategies and procedural difficulties.
• Peer recognition. Attorneys seeking certification must receive recommendations from judges and fellow attorneys who can vouch for their know-how and ethical standards.
• Continuing education. CFLS attorneys need to keep pursuing legal education in family law to stay updated on new laws and judicial precedents.

Obtaining CFLS certification is a mark of distinction, and Andy Cook Law is a proud recipient of this honor, so don’t just hire a family law attorney; hire Andy Cook Law, CFLS.

How Long Does Spousal Support Last?

Spousal support is either temporary or long-term. Temporary arrangements provide financial support during the divorce process. As its name implies, long-term support involves payments made or received for an extended period.

How California Courts Determine Spousal Support

You may request spousal support as part of a divorce, legal separation, or annulment. Additionally, you can seek spousal support as part of a domestic violence restraining order (DVRO). Courts determine whether payments are justified and how much they should be using a formula that accounts for factors like your and your spouse’s earning potential.

Other factors include:

• Any changes in standard of living after divorce
• Whether you or your spouse helped the other get an education or career training
• The length of your marriage
• The cost of caring for your child or children
• Your age and health, as well as your spouse’s
• Instances of domestic violence in the marriage
• Any assets or debts that you and your spouse share or possess personally
• Other factors a court deems important

Spousal Support Enforcement

California has strict laws to ensure that spousal support payments are made on time and in full. The state can garnish wages, put a lien on property or assets, and even suspend driver’s or professional licenses. In cases where a spouse continuously fails to make spousal support payments, they may face significant fines or jail time.

If you have not received adequate support or have been subject to penalties because of an unfair agreement, contact us. Our CFLS San Diego spousal support lawyers can assist with all kinds of enforcement matters and help you get what is fair.

How Does the Remarriage of the Recipient Affect Spousal Support?

In California, when a spousal support recipient remarries, the paying spouse’s obligation to provide ongoing support generally ends. The court assumes that a remarried individual now has access to a new source of financial support and is therefore less likely to need ongoing support from their former spouse. It’s essential for both parties to be aware of this rule, as it helps both parties move on financially and encourages long-term independence.

However, spousal support payments do not stop automatically; the payor must file a motion to request termination of payments if the recipient remarries. If payments continue beyond the remarriage, they may not be recoverable unless the payor takes steps to officially modify or end the support order through the court. It’s also important to consider that if spousal support is part of a lump-sum payment arrangement or structured differently in a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, remarriage may not terminate support automatically. Additionally, if both parties agree to continue payments despite remarriage, they may be able to create an alternative arrangement. Consulting with an attorney — especially a CFLS attorney — is highly advisable in these scenarios to clarify how remarriage affects individual support agreements and the required steps for legal modification or termination of support.

What Are the Types of Spousal Support in California?

California law provides for two primary types of spousal support: temporary and permanent. These distinct categories serve different purposes and apply at different stages of the divorce process, each with specific guidelines for how they are awarded and modified.

Temporary Spousal Support

Temporary spousal support is awarded during the divorce proceedings and serves as a short-term financial aid for the spouse with fewer financial resources. The purpose is to ensure that both parties maintain a reasonably comparable standard of living while the divorce is pending. Temporary support is typically calculated based on a standard formula that considers both spouses’ incomes and monthly expenses. It remains in effect only until a final divorce judgment is issued. Temporary spousal support can vary widely in amount based on the immediate financial needs of the lower-earning spouse and can be terminated or modified as circumstances change during the divorce process.

Permanent Spousal Support

Permanent spousal support, despite its name, is not necessarily lifelong. Instead, it refers to the final spousal support order determined in a divorce decree, which takes effect after the divorce is finalized. The court awards this type of support based on a comprehensive assessment of factors, including the length of the marriage, the recipient’s need for support, the payer’s ability to provide it, each party’s standard of living, and the impact of any domestic responsibilities on the recipient’s earning potential. Unlike temporary support, permanent support is designed to help the lower-earning spouse become self-sufficient or maintain a lifestyle comparable to that during the marriage.

Understanding these types of spousal support and their implications can help you prepare for the divorce process and manage expectations for the financial obligations involved. At our firm, we work with clients to navigate these issues, ensuring they understand their rights and options under California law.

What Influences Spousal Support in California

Divorce is complicated, and spousal support is one of the trickier aspects of it, so while no one likes to think about it, understanding the factors that influence spousal support decisions can help you go into the process with your eyes wide open. Some of the things that can influence spousal support include:

1. How long you were married. As we talked about earlier, there’s temporary and permanent spousal support, and how long you were married decides which kind you get.
2. Who needs it, and who can pay. It’s simple math: If one spouse needs support and the other is able to pay it, the court’s going to try and make things fair. The court will take a look at each spouse’s financial situation — income, expenses, assets, and liabilities — and decide who can afford to pay and how much they should pay.
3. Your standard of living. In California, the goal is to maintain the “standard of living” you had during the marriage, so if you were living large as a couple — luxury cars, vacations to Hawaii, private yoga classes — but one of you doesn’t pull in the kind of money needed to keep that lifestyle going, spousal support might be awarded to help keep you afloat for a while.
4. Age and health. No one wants to think about aging or health issues during a divorce, but they’re important when it comes to spousal support. If one spouse is dealing with health problems or just isn’t able to work, they might need more financial help to get by. Similarly, if someone’s young, healthy, and has the skills to get back into the workforce, they might not get as much support — or for as long.
5. Contributions to the marriage. It’s not all about the paycheck. If one spouse spent years playing the role of homemaker or stayed home with kids so the other could focus on building a career, that’s still considered a major contribution. The courts don’t just look at financial earnings — they also look at things like taking care of the home and children as well as supporting a spouse’s career.
6. Domestic violence and financial deception. If there’s a history of domestic violence or financial misconduct, that’s going to play a role in the court’s decision about spousal support. If one spouse was abusive, the other spouse could receive more in support to help them get back on their feet. Likewise, if one spouse intentionally hides income or assets, you can bet the court’s going to take that seriously — and it might mean more support for the other spouse.

Spousal support in California isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal, but knowing what goes into the decision can help you prepare, whether you’re the one asking for support or the one paying it. As always, a good lawyer can make all the difference in navigating the process and ensuring you’re treated fairly. So, don’t worry — just contact Andy Cook Law and trust the process.

Negotiation Strategies We Employ

With Andy Cook’s credentials as a CFLS attorney and our depth of experience, you can trust us to negotiate a fair spousal agreement.

We may employ the following strategies:

• Gather extensive financial information from you and your spouse to clearly understand your incomes, assets, and expenses.
• Emphasize the ways you supported your spouse during the marriage. If you sacrificed your career to benefit your family, we will likely highlight this.
• Account for the tax implications of the different forms of spousal support to determine which is most advantageous.
• Advocate for your needs, fighting to ensure the support agreement meets them.
• Highlight the importance of maintaining your family’s standard of living after divorce.
• Explore alternative solutions if direct spousal support will not work. This can include asset division or a structured buyout.
• Leverage precedents set by similar cases to support our arguments.

These are just some of the things we might do to secure a fair agreement. Our strategy for you will be tailored to your goals and needs. To us, nothing except personalized, superior services is acceptable. We have been a leading Southern California family law firm since 1995 for a reason.

Consult a San Diego Spousal Support Lawyer

The first step toward getting the spousal support you deserve is calling us. We will work to promptly schedule a free consultation at a convenient time. No dispute is too fraught or complicated for our firm. Our team is ready to go to work for you and your family.

Call or contact us online today.