Spousal Maintenance & Alimony Attorneys in Queens
Providing Stability for Families
At Levi Divorce & Family Law Attorneys, our alimony attorneys in Queens work hard to get our clients fair spousal maintenance, support, and alimony determinations that enable them to leave their marriages in a financially stable position.
Contact us online or call (718) 215-0121 for support in English, Spanish, or Hebrew.
Securing the Maintenance to Be Financially Independent
If you did not work during your marriage or worked but made significantly
less than your spouse, you may be entitled to spousal maintenance.
Our lawyers at Levi Divorce & Family Law Attorneys understand the impact finances have on our clients' lives. The financial position of our clients after their divorce dictates not only the type of lifestyle they lead and the opportunities they can provide, but also the amount of time spent with their children.
We look at our clients and their families as a whole, evaluating their current lifestyle and predicting the impact a reduced income will have on their family dynamics. Together, we help clients get the support they need to spend time with their children and develop financially stable futures.
What to do if Ex Stops Paying Alimony
If your spouse fails to pay spousal maintenance, you should try to find out why. You may be able to work out an agreement if he or she truly cannot make payments. Make sure you hire an attorney to draft your agreement, so you have it in writing and are fully protected. However, if your spouse simply refuses to pay alimony for other reasons besides the inability to pay, you will need to take the matter to court and file a motion to have it enforced.
If successful, the court has a lot of discretion when it comes to punishment. Below are some of the following remedies:
- The court may find your former spouse in contempt, for which the punishment is an order to pay for missed payments as well as an additional fine. If your ex still refuses to comply with the court order, the judge may order jail time.
- If your spousal maintenance order included an income withholding provision, your spouse’s income may be withheld to ensure you receive what you are owed.
- A judge may award you a portion of your former spouse’s assets, including bank accounts or CDs.
- If your former spouse is substantially behind on spousal maintenance payments, you can ask the court to issue a money judgment for the amount owed, plus interest. It may also be possible to receive reimbursement for the attorney fees you incurred in pursuit of your spouse’s missed spousal maintenance payments.
Do not hesitate to seek legal representation if your spouse refuses to pay spousal maintenance.
We Care about Your Financial Health
Spousal maintenance is intended to be rehabilitative whenever possible, and is awarded in a manner to enable both spouses to leave the marriage in a financially stable position. Maintenance may be awarded to either spouse regardless of gender. If you are the spouse who will be obligated to pay spousal maintenance, we can ensure that you will not pay more than what is necessary to enable your spouse to obtain the education or training needed to become financially independent. Our Queens spousal maintenance attorneys can help you lower your spousal support obligations to ensure your financial commitments to your ex-spouse don't undermine your financial health.
Call us for spousal maintenance and alimony support now at (718) 215-0121.
