how would negotiate for a good alimony after divorce?

A woman while going through her divorce proceeding said “Marriage is about love. Divorce is about money.” This holds true in most cases. Alimony is one of the key money matters that have to be negotiated and settled so that both the ex-spouse’s can sustain a respectable lifestyle as close as possible.

Alimony after a divorce has been the butt of many jokes, although it was never a matter of laughing. Conscientious negotiations will eventually lead to reasonableness and will permit each of the partners’ a chance to live their own separate lives.

The concept of alimony roots back to the English times when husbands were ordered to provide support for their wives after a divorce. It was so because women were not allowed to own property or earn a living and hence they were dependent on their partners.

So, how would negotiate for a good alimony after divorce? Here are some tips that may help you to ease the process:

#1. Know Your Income Before Demanding the Price

Income comes in many shapes and sizes. You must know your monthly income clearly because all the negotiations will be done on a monthly basis. Do not get into the trap of multiplying your paychecks times, because it’ll get you in trouble. Get financial help if you don’t understand how the cheque games work. It will be greatly helpful if you know the whereabouts of your income tax returns. Your income will establish the outcome of alimony negotiations.

If you or your partner own a small business or have a source of second income, the business records will be examined to determine the alimony. Any hidden incomes in the form of personal benefits will be considered as “imputed income.”

#2. Include Your Personal Expenses

As part of the alimony negotiations, both the partners will be required to provide a comprehensive list of their personal expenses (post-divorce). To do the following, one must be able clearly to determine their living expenses while they were married and decide what all remains unchanged after the divorce takes place. This is said to be one of the most challenging tasks during the process of divorce.

Both the partners must carefully include all their foreseeable expenses which should be realistically accurate. The expenses of the spouse (who receives the alimony) should be met because it is the requested alimony of the partner. If you underestimate your living expenses, you won’t be able to pay the bills, ultimately ruining your financial records. Also, the expenses of the alimony payer should also be complete in order to determine their needs on the basis of which their income will be shared with the ex-spouse.

Be realistic about your expenses and keep your demands reasonable to sustain the alimony deposits in your bank account. If your negotiations still become difficult, then consult a professional who can analyze your complete marital lifestyle.

#3. Hire A Good Attorney

An attorney is a complicated matter, and therefore you need assured guidance. Choose an attorney who specializes in family law. Ask them multiple questions regarding their experience, degrees, practice and similar stuff to satisfy yourself. Your attorney will be your negotiator and will “have it all figured out.” You may need to start from scratch and let your professional negotiator put his practice to use. This is not the right time to cut your teeth on a new skill, let them handle it for you.

#4. Consider The Future

While deciding on your alimony amount, you need to take into consideration your future security, i.e., for a longer term or at least till your alimony expires. The payer needs to be sure of his/her future income, which is good enough to sustain their future needs. As per the payee is concerned, they need to consider the fact that only inflammation can cause a change in process, but it won’t affect the alimony and only a reduction in the daily expenses will be their savior.

Read More: https://goo.gl/Gfp1md
Originally Published By: AskOpinion.com