About Pamela M. Pacetti Our Approach News & Articles

Collaborative Family Law Mediation Litigation Marital Agreements Separation and Property Settlement Agreements Premarital and Post-Marital Agreements Family Law Divorce Property Division Custody and Visitation Relocation Child Support Alimony and Spousal Support Stepparent Adoption Wills and Powers of Attorney

(703) 591-0056

Practice Areas

• Collaborative Family Law
• Mediation
• Litigation
• Marital Agreements
  • Separation and Property Settlement Agreements
  • Premarital and Post-Marital Agreements
• Family Law
  • Divorce
  • Property Division
  • Custody and Visitation
  • Relocation
  • Child Support
  • Alimony and Spousal Support
  • Stepparent Adoption
  • Wills and Powers of Attorney

Alimony and Spousal Support

An obligation to provide financial support following divorce may take many forms, including:

Rehabilitative spousal support
Considered in a short-term marriage and payable periodically for a
defined duration

Permanent spousal support
Considered in a long-term marriage and payable periodically for an
undefined duration

Lump sum spousal support
In certain cases, a spousal support obligation is set as a fixed amount payable in one payment or payments over time, or in any combination thereof

Reservation of spousal support
In the event support is not provided at the time of the divorce, each party may reserve the right to request support in the future for a period equal to 50% of the length of the marriage

Determining spousal support, consideration factors

The Code of Virginia provides the following factors to be considered with a request for spousal support:

• Obligations, needs and financial resources of both parties
• Standard of living established during the marriage
• Duration of the marriage
• Age, physical and mental conditions of both parties
• Circumstances warranting a party not seeking employment
• Monetary and nonmonetary contributions of each party to the well-being of the family
• Property interests of both parties
• Distribution of assets and liabilities of the parties
• Earning capacity, including skills, education and training of both parties
• Ability to secure employment and cost involved in gaining necessary skills to secure employment
• Decisions concerning parenting arrangements during the marriage
• Other factors that may be necessary to consider equities between the parties, such as circumstances leading to the dissolution of marriage