Divorce and Addiction: How Substance Abuse Can Affect Alimony Outcomes

When a loved one is suffering from addiction, divorce can be more complex than ever. You may have difficulties freeing yourself from this situation, and your spouse may not be helping. When you are dealing with such a difficult position, you may have grounds to seek alimony. But how do you know what your alimony is worth?

Addiction makes determining alimony more complex, but that does not mean it is impossible. Our team at Chambers Family Law can guide you through these complex steps and help you get the alimony you need to recover from a marriage ravaged by substance abuse.

What Factors Impact Alimony?

Seeking alimony can be a complex process, and you may currently be unsure whether you are eligible for alimony to begin with.

Typically, alimony depends on whether and to what degree your standard of living will change if you file for divorce. Alimony can help protect the standard of living of those who would otherwise be unable to afford to divorce their spouse, such as stay-at-home parents.

This amount can also change drastically depending on whether you are able to re-enter the workforce. For example, you may have a high-level degree and be able to return to a job in that field. Someone without an education or a recent job history may receive more in alimony payments and for a longer period of time. The specifics of your case will depend on your life and are best calculated by a lawyer.

How Alimony Can Be Impacted by Addiction

If your former spouse is struggling with substance abuse, it can greatly impact the amount of alimony that you can receive. This amount can help you recover from this devastating situation and get your life back on track.

If you are facing financial difficulties because your spouse took money from a joint account for their addiction, you may have grounds for alimony that helps reduce the impact of this issue.

You can also be impacted by whether it will be more difficult for you to live independently. For example, you may have been a stay-at-home parent, but because of a spouse’s addiction, you may need alimony to help you juggle taking care of your children and returning to the workforce.

Gathering Evidence When Seeking Alimony

If you believe you may be eligible for alimony, or if you need alimony to maintain your standard of living, you may need to gather evidence that you are due alimony and in what amount and for what period of time. This process can vary depending on what and how much you need to prove before you are approved by the courts.

If you need to prove that it will be difficult for you to enter the workforce due to a lack of education or having not worked in a long time, you may need to gather evidence that you would be unable to support your family. Our team can help direct you through this situation.

When facing substance abuse and addiction in your divorce, your alimony may reflect missing money and a lack of financial support from your spouse. If they were unable to work due to their addiction, you may need to gather evidence of your situation to be used for your case.

How Our Firm Can Help

When your spouse is battling addiction, getting the answers you need during a divorce can be difficult. They may be unwilling to work with you, or you may simply find your cases more complex because of the substance abuse issues.

Fortunately, you do not have to face this alone. An experienced Atlanta divorce attorney can do more than represent you in the courtroom, though this is a big part of determining whether you will receive alimony.

Your attorney can also work hard before your court date to gather evidence that you are due alimony. The right legal team can have massive impacts and benefits to your family law case.

Reach Out to a Family Law Attorney for Help

When you are dealing with a loved one suffering from substance abuse issues, it can feel difficult to get out of that situation. Worse, you may not have the resources needed to gather evidence and prove that your spouse was abusing substances, and that the abuse made you eligible for alimony.

Fortunately, the team at Chambers Family Law is here to help you settle your most pressing family law questions.

Our team can provide evidence tailored to your case. When you are ready to take action and protect yourself and your family, reach out for help filing a case requesting alimony when your spouse is facing an addiction.

Ready to learn more? Reach out to our team for a consultation at 470-857-8202 or fill out our online contact form.