Could I End Up Paying “Manimony” in My Texas Divorce?

 Posted on May 18, 2022 in Divorce

Just a few decades ago, women getting divorced in Texas could practically be guaranteed to receive spousal maintenance (also known as alimony) from their husbands. Women working outside the home, to say nothing of pursuing high-income careers, was a relatively rare phenomenon. 

Thankfully that has changed. As women achieve ever greater strides in workplace equity, there is a flip side to being the primary breadwinner in a family that many women do not think about until divorce: Alimony payments to an ex. Texas law provides spousal maintenance in certain situations, but it says nothing about the gender of the person making payments. Under the right circumstances, women in Texas may end up paying their husbands “manimony.”

How Is Spousal Maintenance Calculated in Texas? 

Getting spousal maintenance in Texas is not as easy as it used to be. In fact, Texas divorce cases begin with the presumption that alimony is not appropriate and the spouse requesting financial support must overcome that presumption. For a court to award spousal maintenance, the spouse requesting it must meet at least one of the following circumstances: 

• He cannot earn enough money to support himself because of a physical or mental disability. 
• He was abused by the wife in a convicted act of family violence against himself or the children no more than two years before filing for divorce.
• He was married to his wife for at least ten years and cannot earn enough money to meet his basic needs.
• He is the custodial parent of a child who requires a level of care that prevents him from working.

How Does a Texas Court Decide Whether to Award Spousal Maintenance? 

While spouses can reach an agreement on their own about spousal maintenance, a judge making such a decision will evaluate the length and amount of payments based on several factors, including: 

• Each spouse’s ability to pay for his or her own needs
• Each spouse’s current education and employment, as well as how long it would take a financially dependent spouse to become financially independent 
• How long the marriage lasted 
• The physical and mental health of each spouse
• Whether child support is a factor in the divorce 

Schedule a No-Pressure Consult with a Denton County Alimony Attorney

Women getting divorced today have a unique set of problems to manage. If you are thinking about divorce and are wondering whether you may be responsible for making spousal maintenance payments, meet with a Denton County spousal maintenance attorney with the The Law Office of Linda Risinger before you make any major decisions. We can walk you through your options and give you an idea of the strategy we would pursue in your divorce. Work with an experienced female advocate in your divorce by calling our offices today at 972-294-6533. 

Source: 

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/FA/htm/FA.8.htm