Smith Ostler – Variable Income and Support
Smith-Ostler and how to address variable income for child support and spousal support
Spousal Support Calculation
Why does the view persist that post-divorce spousal support can be calculated
Lump Sum Spousal Support
Considerations associated with lump sum spousal support.
Duration of Spousal Support
What the law says about the duration of spousal support.
New Tax Law and Divorce
How the new “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” may affect divorcing couples.
Calculate Spousal Support?
Is there a calculation for spousal support?
Support Arrears
Child support and spousal support arrears can arise for periods in the past.
Collecting Support
Here are some tips for collecting child support or spousal support.
Garnishing
Garnishing wages can be a good way to try to guarantee child support or spousal support payments.
Divorce Financial Disclosure
All California divorces require complete disclosure as regards assets, debts, income and expenses.
Child Support and Spousal Support Basics
Understanding the basics of child support and spousal support might make living with them a little easier.
Date of Separation: Important?
What is the significance of the “date of separation” in a divorce?
Family Support
When divorcing spouses’ incomes differ by a very large amount (placing them in much different tax brackets) and both child support and spousal is appropriate, the spouses can save significantly overall on their income taxes by designating the payments as “family support.”
Spousal Support Tax Deductible Limits
A previous post gave the basic rules for making spousal support tax deductible. This post discuss two somewhat unusual but important circumstances that affect the tax deductibility of spousal support.
Spousal Support Tax Deductible
Unless spouses agree otherwise in their final divorce documents, spousal support is generally tax deductible for the payer and reportable as income for the recipient. But there are a number of spousal support tax considerations.
Permanent Spousal Support in California
Post-divorce spousal support is referred to as permanent spousal support, even though it is rarely permanent. Spouses have wide latitude in negotiating their own permanent spousal support agreement.
Temporary Spousal Support in California
Temporary spousal support refers to spousal support while the divorce is in process. It can begin as early as the filing date of the petition.
Spousal Support Factors in California
When ordering post-divorce spousal support in California, judges are required to consider and weigh each of 14 different factors. Couples however can make their own spousal support agreement.
Spousal Support Basics in California
Spousal support is one of the two areas of financial decision-making required in every divorce.
There is no need to have spousal support decided by the court. Spouses can come to their own agreement.
