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!