One of the impactful things that can happen in West Virginia divorces is a party being granted spousal support, also known as alimony, through a court order or a settlement agreement. Under state law, there are four types of spousal support arrangements that can be set up. We’ll now go over these different types.
The first two are relatively self-explanatory. These are temporary spousal support and permanent spousal support. The former is a temporary arrangement generally aimed at covering the period before a divorce is finalized. The latter generally puts a long-term post-divorce alimony arrangement in place.
Another type is spousal support in gross. This is a support arrangement in which both the amount of the support and the time the support will end is fixed. It involves either a lump sum payment or periodic payments fixed in both amount and the period of time over which they will be made.
The final type is rehabilitative spousal support. This arrangement is aimed at providing support to a party for a limited time in order to give him or her the opportunity to become gainfully employed.
Many different factors can impact what types of spousal support would be most appropriate in a given case and what types a court would be most likely to put in place in a case. Skilled divorce attorneys can advise individuals about what factors and issues could play a big role in alimony matters in their divorce. They can also help a person stand up for his or her interests and rights in spousal support negotiations and proceedings.
