Can I Afford To Get Divorced If I’m Not Working?

In many families, one spouse works and earns an income while the other spouse supports the family at home. When the non-working spouse wishes to get a divorce, one of the biggest questions is whether they can afford to end their marriage. At Fort, Holloway & Rogers our experienced Franklin divorce attorneys are here to help explain that you can divorce even if you are the non-working spouse. To learn more, call or contact our office to schedule a consultation of your case today.

Getting Temporary Support

As soon as a divorce petition is filed with the court, a request can be made for temporary support. Temporary spousal support can cover your expenses while the divorce process is ongoing. In addition, the costs of an experienced attorney can also be funded through temporary support, so they you can get the legal representation that you need.

Dividing Marital Assets

Tennessee law recognizes the contribution of a non-working spouse to the family. The non-working spouse maintains the home, cares for the children, and contributes to other duties that allow the other spouse to earn an income. This is taken into account when dividing up the marital estate in a divorce in Tennessee, which is distributed equitably between spouses. A non-working spouse is entitled to an equitable distribution of the assets acquired during the course of the marriage, which can allow that spouse to restart their life with the funds they need after a divorce is finalized.

Alimony

Tennessee allows for many different types of alimony, or spousal support, once a divorced is finalized that can also help a non-working spouse. The purpose of alimony is to help a spouse with the lesser earning capacity maintain their standard of living while they transition to financial independence and depending on the circumstances of your case you may be entitled to one or more forms of spousal support.

Non-working spouses are often granted rehabilitative alimony if they can still reenter the workforce. Rehabilitative alimony covers the expenses of a non-working spouse while they obtain the education or training they need to earn their own income. For non-working spouses that cannot reenter the workforce because of their age, disability, or because they are caring for a loved one with special needs, alimony in futuro may be appropriate. This is long-term periodic spousal support that may even be permanent if the situation warrants it. Another form of long-term support is known as alimony in solido, or lump sum spousal support. This type of alimony is paid in installments over a period of time or all at once in a lump sum. An attorney can go over all these options with you if you are interested in learning more about your options for filing for divorce.

Talk to Our Office Today

Even if you are a non-working spouse, you are not stuck in your situation. To learn more about how to file for divorce in Williamson County, call or contact Fort, Holloway & Rogers today to schedule a consultation of your case.