In Australia, divorces and serious separations are governed by a comprehensive selection of laws. In general, the courts will strive to deliver a fair deliberation on divorce cases, which can sometimes involve one partner being responsible for the support of the other.

This is called spousal maintenance, and it’s something you absolutely need to understand if you’re working through a separation. In the rest of this article, we’re going to look at everything you need to know about this complicated legal topic.

What Is Spousal Maintenance?

To keep things simple, spousal maintenance is designed to ensure both parties are able to maintain a comfortable living situation following a divorce. It can be paid in a number of forms, including:

• As a one-off lump sum payment as ordered by the court.
• As regular weekly or fortnightly payments.
• As bill or amenity payments covering periodic costs.
• By providing certain items or things the other party needs to live.

As you can imagine, spousal maintenance cases can become extremely complicated. Because of this, it’s best to talk to a family lawyer about the subject if you’re unsure about anything or need long-term legal advice.

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