Alimony Attorney

Spousal support, often called alimony, is financial support that one spouse may be ordered to pay the other when a marriage ends. In North Carolina, the court first looks at whether one spouse is financially dependent and whether the other has the ability to help meet that spouse’s reasonable needs. If there is a genuine income and resources gap, and support would be fair under the circumstances, the court may award post-separation support, longer-term alimony, or both.

Spousal support decisions are not based on a single formula the way child support often is. Judges can consider many different factors, including the length of the marriage, the standard of living during the relationship, each spouse’s age, health, education, earning capacity, and overall financial picture. They may also look at how each spouse contributed to the home or the other spouse’s career, and whether there was marital misconduct that affects the fairness of an award.

For many people, spousal support is one of the most uncertain and emotionally charged parts of a separation or divorce. The wrong assumptions about income, expenses, or lifestyle can lead to outcomes that feel unbalanced—either paying more than you can reasonably afford or receiving less support than you need to get back on your feet. Careful preparation of financial information and a clear understanding of the law are critical.

At Brazil Family Law, our family law attorneys help clients on both sides of spousal support claims. We review income, budgets, and lifestyle carefully, explain what the court can and cannot consider, and work to negotiate practical support arrangements whenever possible. When negotiation is not enough, we are prepared to present your financial story to the court in a clear, organized way. Every case is fact-specific, and the information on this page is general only; to understand what spousal support might look like in your situation, it is important to speak directly with an attorney about your circumstances.