How can I protect myself financially in a divorce if my spouse is the breadwinner?
Financial agreement
The best way to protect yourself financially in a divorce is to work with your spouse to create a fair, legally-binding financial agreement. This is absolutely critical if it's likely that you'll be the one who will be financially supporting your spouse once the two of you are separated. You can ask your attorney about a prenuptial agreement or postnuptial agreement.
Alimony
If you're married and have children, there's also something called alimony, which is money that you can ask the court to award you from your spouse if they're the one who makes more money. This can be awarded after divorce or during a divorce proceeding, but because each state has its own guidelines for how much should be paid and when it's usually wise to consult an attorney before making a decision about whether to ask for alimony.
Handling financial decisions
If you're not married yet and don't have kids, but are going to marry someone with whom you want to combine finances, it's really important that you talk about how you'll handle financial decisions in the marriage before moving forward with the wedding plans. You can ask about premarital agreements at this point too—they're legal contracts that outline what both parties expect from each other during the marriage.
Seek the advice of a qualified Family Law Attorney
The most important thing you can do to protect yourself financially in a divorce is to seek the advice of a qualified family law attorney. There are so many factors involved in a divorce that it's impossible for any non-lawyer to give you any specific advice, but an attorney can at least help you understand the processes and options available to you and make the best decisions for your particular situation.
If you have any questions, you can get a free consultation with the Best Attorneys in Utah.
Ascent Law LLC:
8833 South Redwood RoadSuite C
West Jordan, UT 84088
(801) 676-5506
