Highlands Ranch Spousal Support Lawyer

Spousal Support Attorney in Highlands Ranch, CO

Spousal support is necessary after separation because of the intertwined finances of spouses. After a separation, each spouse has fewer financial resources, and this can be worsened when spouses have very different incomes or resources. A Highlands Ranch spousal support lawyer can help you protect your rights during a support determination case, advocating for fair support, reasonable duration, and overall protecting your financial well-being.

Your Highlands Ranch Spousal Support Attorney

At Fuller & Ahern, P.C., our attorneys have more than 75 years of combined legal experience. For nearly 30 years, our firm has supported our community throughout Douglas County. Our team is made up of caring and meticulous professionals who can help you navigate your separation and spousal support case. We aim for high-quality service and compassion during these often-difficult cases.

Working with the right lawyer can make a significant difference in your spousal support case, helping you protect your financial interests and your family’s needs. We help you secure fair outcomes with individualized legal guidance.

When Is Spousal Support Necessary in Highlands Ranch?

Spousal support, called spousal maintenance in Colorado, is essential when partners separate and no longer live together, greatly altering each party’s financial circumstances. The divorce rate in Colorado was 2.8 per 1,000 population in 2023, compared to the U.S. rate of 2.4 per 1,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While divorces are the most common basis for spousal maintenance cases, other legal separation cases can also involve maintenance. However, not every separation or divorce involves spousal maintenance. The court awards spousal maintenance when the following is true:

1. The spouse requesting support requires financial support.
2. The other spouse has the ability to pay support.

The court uses several factors to determine fair and equitable spousal maintenance.

How Is Spousal Maintenance Determined?

To determine whether to grant or deny a request by a spouse for spousal maintenance, the court will assess factors like:

• Each spouse’s gross income
• Each party’s marital property
• Each party’s financial resources, including income from separate and marital property
• The reasonable financial needs of each spouse, considering the quality of life established by the marriage
• Whether spousal maintenance awards would be deductible by the paying spouse and taxable to the requesting spouse through federal income taxes

The median income in Highlands Ranch in 2024 was $152,987 per household, compared to $97,113 in Colorado, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. When households have an income disparity, spousal maintenance is more likely.

How Much Will Spousal Maintenance Be?

If the court decides to award spousal maintenance, then it will review many factors to determine the amount and the duration of that maintenance. Some of these factors include:

• The financial resources of each party, including any source of income
• The ability of the spouse receiving payments to meet their needs independently
• The lifestyle the couple had during the marriage
• How long the marriage lasted
• How the marital property was distributed
• The employment and employability of each party
• Whether any temporary maintenance has been awarded
• The age and health of both parties
• Other factors the court decides are relevant

Why Is It Important to Hire a Spousal Support Lawyer in Highlands Ranch?

It’s important to hire a spousal support lawyer in Highlands Ranch to protect your financial interests. The determination of spousal maintenance can have big implications for your immediate and financial future. If you need support and do not get it, you could face exceptional financial frustrations and difficulties. If your spouse is requesting support and is awarded more than is reasonable, this can also affect your financial circumstances.

When you work with an attorney, they help you determine what is fair and advocate for that outcome. Divorces or separations are often very emotional cases, and it isn’t always easy to objectively navigate support determinations.

An attorney’s support can make it much easier and limit your stress throughout the process. They understand the laws that apply to your case, and know the steps in the legal process. They can guide you and provide you with the support you need.

FAQs

What Qualifies a Spouse for Alimony in Colorado?

A spouse may be qualified for alimony in Colorado when they need financial support, and the other spouse has the financial ability to pay that support.

There are several factors that are considered in this determination, including each party’s gross income, the marital property each party received after division of assets, each party’s financial resources, the standard of living and reasonable needs established in the marriage, and whether the maintenance would be deductible or taxable in income tax.

What Is the One-Third Rule for Spousal Maintenance in Colorado?

The one-third rule for spousal maintenance in Colorado refers to the duration for which spousal maintenance is awarded in marriages over three years that meet certain other requirements. The maintenance payments may be awarded for one-third of the duration of the marriage. However, this isn’t always applicable. Maintenance may be awarded for between 30% the duration of the marriage to up to 50% of the duration of the marriage.

What Court Handles Spousal Support Cases in Highlands Ranch?

In Highlands Ranch, spousal support cases are generally handled by the family law court in the Douglas County Courthouse, serving the 23rd Judicial District. Because spousal support cases are part of divorce or separation cases, this is where the entire case is likely to be. The court is located in Castle Rock. If you or your spouse lives in another jurisdiction, your case may be heard by a different court.

What Disqualifies You From Alimony in Colorado?

Colorado courts will not award maintenance if it determines the requesting spouse has enough property to provide for their reasonable needs, or they are able to support themselves through employment.

When a spouse cannot meet their needs or support themselves, or has custody of a child who has needs that prevent employment outside the home, maintenance may be possible. Spousal maintenance may also not be awarded if the other spouse does not have the ability to pay maintenance.

Navigating Spousal Support Cases in Highlands Ranch

When you work with Fuller & Ahern, P.C., we help you review your circumstances and assess what fair spousal maintenance is in your case. We diligently protect your rights and advocate for your financial needs. Reach out to our team today.