Spousal Support Reform Coming Under Criticism

Everybody knows that spousal support is basically a monthly sum of money paid to a spouse by the higher earning spouse for a specific period of time. The amount of support is either agreed upon or based on the earning spouse's ability to pay and the needs of the non-earning spouse.

According to the article, due to changing times there are more wives and mothers who work. As a result many states have trimmed back on the amount and duration of spousal support payments. Some states have even developed a formula for the duration of the payments based on the length of the marriage. There are negative consequences to a one size fits all apporach to spousal support.

An article I found online outlines some interesting points regarding spousal support in Virginia.

1. Negative Impact on Stay-at-Home Moms
Each case is different and while guidelines provide much needed consistency, the needs of a parent and children are not the same for all cases. Mothers who have not had college education or careers in order to raise a family are highly affected by this. They may receive spousal support for a certain period of time and be forced to work with little to no experience.

2. Virginia Spousal Support
In Virginia, if spouses do not agree on specific support amounts and time lengths, the courts are empowered to determine the amount and duration of support based on a family’s circumstances. The following factors are considered: the financial needs, resources and assets of the spouses, the standard of living during the marriage, the length of the marriage, the spouses' earning capacity.

The thing to note is that spousal support in California has not fallen to a formula. Spousal support is a multi factor analysis that provides the court with discretion to analyze and hopefully determine based upon the specific needs of the individuals.

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