When your Arizona marriage ends, you may worry about your ability to support yourself on your own. Many people who divorce share these concerns, especially if they sacrificed their career or education for that of their then-partners. If you think you may not be able to maintain your existing lifestyle without help from your ex, you may decide to ask for spousal maintenance when you split.
Per the Arizona Legislature, you should expect the state to reflect on the following when determining whether to award you any spousal maintenance in your divorce.
The length of your marriage
While a long marriage does not guarantee an alimony award, it does not hurt your chances, either. While other factors also carry weight, the longer your marriage was, the higher the odds typically are of you getting spousal support.
Your comparative resources and earning abilities
How much each of you has in terms of personal assets also falls under the microscope in a spousal maintenance case, and so, too, does your earning potential and that of your one-time partner. If you stopped working or going to school for quite some time to support your spouse or family, this may boost your chances of getting alimony.
Your future employment prospects
If you have been out of the workforce for some time, the state may also consider how long it might take you to develop the skills necessary to find gainful employment before making spousal maintenance decisions.
This is just a small sample of the factors that help determine whether you get spousal maintenance in an Arizona divorce. Certain variables, such as whether there was marital misconduct, typically do not carry weight in this area.
