By Daniel Iuculano -
Alimony and child support will depend on which state you live in, how many children are involved and monthly income and expenses for both parties.
For tax purposes, child support is not income to the receiving parent and is not deductible to the parent paying it. Spousal support (alimony) is periodic support payments made to a spouse in divorce on a temporary or permanent basis.
Key Financial Issues: Child Support
In every state, there are formulas that determine the amount of child support it is necessary to pay. These formulas are called “guidelines.” Despite the mechanical nature of the calculations, there are points of flexibility.
Child support is not always simply the application of a formula. Here are some of the reasons:
1. At high levels of income, the guidelines typically do not apply. The level of income at which guidelines cease to apply varies from state to state.
2. There may be disagreements about what constitutes “income,” especially if a party is self-employed, or the income varies widely from year to year.
3. A spouse may be deliberately under-employed. Then a judge may “impute” income to that spouse.
4. In all cases, the parties may negotiate a child support different than the guideline amounts. A judge will generally approve the negotiated outcome unless it is clearly unfair to one party.
Key Financial Issues: Alimony
Unlike child support, which has a significant state involvement, alimony is almost always purely the result of the negotiation between the parties. In a few states, there are alimony formulas. But even there, the alimony calculated is usually intended to be only temporary.
Different states have different attitudes to alimony. Some states are inclined to award lifetime alimony after ten-year marriages in which the recipient stayed home and supported the family. Other states are not inclined to award any alimony at all, or will award alimony of only a few years. It is intended to allow the recipient to train for a career (often called “rehabilitative” alimony).
Seeking Legal Advice
When seeking legal advice, remember vast majority of attorneys are trained in legal matters and not financial matters such as taxes, investments, retirement plans, financial forecasting and financial planning in general. The divorce decree will have a lasting impact on your financial situation for years to come. Best advice I can offer is “be prepared”, know how every financial proposal in the divorce process will impact you both in the near as well as long term.
Daniel Iuculano a Certified Financial Planner offering a wide range of financial services which includes investment portfolio management and divorce planning.
http://www.dfi-wealth-mgmt.com
http://www.dfi-wealth-mgmt.com/wordpress
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Iuculano
http://EzineArticles.com/?Alimony-and-Child-Support&id=6296986









