Brooklyn Spousal Support Lawyer
Protect Your Financial Interests: (718) 717-1005
In recent decades, much has changed in family finances, with women contributing
more than ever to their families' income and sometimes being the primary
wage earners. In keeping pace with these changes, New York's Domestic
Relations Law has done away with the concept of alimony - and its connotations
of lifetime support from the husband to the wife - in favor of spousal
maintenance, which the law intends to be transitional, whenever possible,
and gender neutral.
If you need counsel for your spousal-support matters, call our firm today.
Whether you anticipate paying or receiving spousal maintenance, Coffinas
& Lusthaus, P.C. can make a compelling case that advances your financial
interests. Today, more than ever, you need a law firm that stays ahead
of the curve in this rapidly changing area of family law. For nearly 20
years, Coffinas & Lusthaus, P.C. has done more than obtain fair results
under the law: We've impacted the way the law works in order to achieve
fair results.
Getting Spousal Maintenance in New York
From the moment a couple separates, the spouse who has been dependent on
the high-earning spouse is at a disadvantage. At Coffinas & Lusthaus,
P.C., we've seen cases where the high earner actually tried to "starve"
concessions out of the dependent spouse on issues of
property division and
child custody. The surest remedy for these tactics is an order of
pendente lite (temporary) maintenance. Coffinas & Lusthaus, P.C. has been able to
obtain temporary support that allowed dependent spouses to meet all their
bills, including amounts for legal fees, so they could contest their divorce
on a level playing field.
A final order for spousal maintenance is available in cases of legal separation,
uncontested divorce, and contested divorce. If you're hoping to negotiate
a settlement agreement, our
Brooklyn family law attorneys have the knowledge of the law and experience at trial to anticipate how
a court would likely rule. Our strong, principled negotiations lead to
consistently favorable results. When it's necessary to litigate this
issue, Coffinas & Lusthaus, P.C. has the skill and tenacity to secure
a fair outcome.
Factors the NY Court Considers in Deciding Spousal Support
Determining spousal maintenance can be a challenging process. For this
reason, it is important to have a knowledgeable and experienced legal
team by your side at all times.
When making a decision about spousal maintenance, the court will consider
several factors, including:
- Each party's income and property, including each one's share of
the marital estate
- Length of the marriage
- Age and health of each party
- Present and future earning capacity of each party
- Need of the recipient spouse to obtain further education or training to
become self-sufficient
- The ability of the recipient spouse to become self-sufficient and the time
frame necessary
- The extent to which age or absence from the workforce may permanently disadvantage
the recipient spouse
- Presence of children of the marriage in the household of either spouse
These and other factors are open to various interpretations. Our innovative
and effective Brooklyn spousal support attorneys at Coffinas & Lusthaus,
P.C. can make the most persuasive case for your unique situation.
Modification, Termination, & Enforcement
Our firm fights for fair spousal maintenance orders given the facts at
hand and what we can reasonably predict about the future. However, when
the unpredictable does happen, you may want to re-examine the court's order.
Our family law firm helps clients modify maintenance or terminate orders
and oppose such actions due to:
- Payor spouse losing income
- Recipient spouse remarrying
- Recipient spouse finding gainful employment
Our firm's
Brooklyn divorce lawyers also provide aggressive litigation services whenever a party seeks enforcement
of an existing order for spousal maintenance, as illustrated
in one of our landmark cases. Coffinas & Lusthaus, P.C. helps payor and recipient spouses resolve
maintenance disputes in the five boroughs, Westchester, and Nassau Counties.
We intentionally limit our caseloads to give you the attention you deserve.
Call today at (718) 717-1005!