Alimony amounts depend on many different factors. In fact, you might not pay or receive it at all.
Before any further explanation, here is a brief note on terminology. While it is perfectly fine for you to call use “alimony” in casual conversation, but please be aware that most sources of legal information will use the official term, which is “spousal support”.
Alimony considerations
The Revised Code, 3105.18, contains one of the most important laws about spousal support in Ohio. Among other things, it lists 14 items that the court must consider when deciding whether support is appropriate for your case, who should pay and various other terms of your agreement. Some of the criteria include:
- Your income and your spouse’s income
- Contributions you made to each other’s education
- The duration of your marriage
- Your retirement benefits
The law is deliberately generous in the power it gives courts over your spousal support. In fact, the final item on the list is “any other factor that the court expressly finds to be relevant and equitable”.
Preliminary calculations
Because the court must consider every aspect before making a decision, officials would probably ask you for a mountain of financial, medical and personal information. Additionally, you could even have to think about how your property division agreement could weigh into the final support agreement.
Knowing an estimate of the amount you might pay in spousal support could be advantageous. However, there is often a more pressing question: How do you negotiate for the best possible deal when your arguments center around a hypothetical, 14-plus-point analysis by a distinguished jurist? The answer, as you might expect, is different for every case.
