Overland Park Alimony Attorneys
Guiding Clients through Spousal Support Law in Kansas & Missouri
During a divorce or legal separation, the Gates Shields Ferguson Swall Hammond P.A. law firm helps determine spousal support obligations if you are the party who may pay or collect. We’ll work with you to assess what is a reasonable alimony or spousal support arrangement and \which approach to negotiating, or litigating, is most likely to favor your goals. No matter what—while negotiating directly, or standing beside you at a hearing or trial—we will protect your financial and legal interests.
Call (800) 574-4428 or contact us online to set up a consultation about your spousal support rights in Missouri or Kansas.
What Is Alimony or Spousal Support?
Alimony or spousal support is a periodic payment made to a former spouse who is in need of financial assistance. The purpose of alimony is to equalize the incomes and the standards of living for both parties.
The purpose of rehabilitative maintenance is to assist a receiving spouse in developing or re-developing the necessary skills to have them enter, re-enter, or maintain gainful employment in order to become self-supportive.
In either case, there are various types of maintenance, and your set or temporary Spousal Support or Alimony may be modifiable. Temporary maintenance will terminate at the end of a specified term. A review by the court of the financial circumstances of the parties will determine if maintenance should be continued or modified.
An Award of Alimony Is Not a Mixed Issue
In a divorce case, a trial court makes a two-step determination of whether, and in what amount, to award alimony. The trial court must first determine whether the spouse seeking alimony has established that he or she has a need for the financial assistance and, then, make a separate determination of the other spouse’s ability to pay that alimony.
What Is the Role of Property Distribution in a Suit for Alimony?
After the property is divided and accounted for, the court can award spousal support or alimony if one of the parties does not have enough to meet their reasonable needs.
Temporary Maintenance Help while Dealing with Financial Issues
At the beginning of a divorce suit, the court may award maintenance or alimony on a temporary basis while the financial matters of the parties are resolved. Temporary maintenance may be awarded in a divorce case even though the party seeking maintenance admits that he or she is able to pay all of his or her reasonable living expenses.
Tax Compliance Is Important
Gates Shields Ferguson Swall Hammond P.A. represents clients in Kansas and Missouri in a wide variety of alimony and spousal support matters, including:
- Post-Decree maintenance issues
- Modification of maintenance and custody disputes
- Overpayment of maintenance and under-estimated child support
- Maintenance Buy-Down Cases
- Contempt of court pertaining to alimony and/or spousal support
- Recovery of overpaid alimony
- Finding an ex-spouse in contempt of court
An attorney can assist you in understanding the possible tax consequences and make adjustments in your case to deal with those consequences. It is also critical to be able to rely on accurate income information provided by your current or former spouse. A Gates Shields divorce lawyer can investigate such things as irregularities in the pay records of a current or former spouse, hidden second jobs, or other possible sources of unreported income.
Expert Representation in Missouri or Kansas
Gates Shields lawyers represent professionals, business owners, and others in Kansas and Missouri divorce and legal separation cases. Certain professionals and others involved in high-asset divorces may be subject to unique concerns regarding alimony or spousal support claims. A key part of our practice is counseling those professionals and others regarding steps they can consider taking as part of a divorce before and during the case. This may help ensure a more favorable resolution of issues related to spousal support or alimony.
We will give you an honest assessment of your case, discuss your objectives work with you through every phase of the process and make sure your expectations are met. For advice and guidance with all aspects of alimony, temporary maintenance and tax calculations, speak to one of the attorneys at Gates Shields Birmingham Swall Hammond P.A.
Call (800) 574-4428 or contact us online to set up a consultation about your spousal support rights in Missouri or Kansas.
Testimonials
Our Work Speaks For Itself-
“Grant went above and beyond for our company when we were selling to another company. It was a very involved transaction. He was knowledgeable, communicative, expediate and great to work with. He ...”
- Karen Bowers -
“Angela and her assistant Lyndsey helped me navigate a really tough time by providing me the knowledge and encouragement I needed to claim my life back.”
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“Larry: I’m so glad that I was able to retain you from a long distance “Florida” to do a follow up on my case. The case was complicated and required you to use an extreme amount of patience to resolve ...”
- Gary Bryan -
“My experience with Thomas Hammond was exceptional. Thomas represented me in an unfortunate divorce and he was more than professional and kind. This was the worst experience of my life and Thomas led ...”
- Cathy -
“Larry: I am so glad I have you all on my side. Thank you for continuing to work diligently on my case. Throughout the years of this process, I have always said that I just want to go about it honest ...”
- David McCune
Why Choose Us?
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Experienced & KnowledgeableNot only does our team have over 260 years of combined legal experience, but we are always continuing to learn and staying current with developments in the law and the industries we serve.
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Results Driven & FocusedWe carefully plan for each legal matter to develop a personalized strategy for achieving a great result. Careful planning is the first step in achieving great results, and your results are our first priority.
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Client Focused & PersonableWe take our clients needs very seriously. We want our clients not only to feel like they have a trusted legal advisor but also that they are part of the strong Gates Shields family.
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Empathic & UnderstandingWe care about our clients. That is why we take the time to listen and communicate so we can truly understand your unique situation, make you feel comfortable with the process, and develop the best course of action.
