Our St. Louis family law firm can help resolve spousal support issues during and after a divorce or legal separation.
Expert spousal support lawyer offering dedicated legal assistance in St. Louis. We help ensure fair and equitable spousal support arrangements tailored to your needs. Contact us for professional guidance.
David Betz was great to work with. He was patient, listened carefully, and was able to make non-biased, rational recommendations that both parties would agree to. I could tell he has a lot of mediation experience as he cut right through the emotional vomit and laid out the facts. His wisdom greatly expedited a resolution to my case and avoided a costly trial. I would highly recommend the Betz Law Firm to anyone seeking a sensible, professional mediation experience.
Unfortunately, I found myself in a difficult situation and in need of mediation; Mr. Betz stepped up with only a moments notice. My previous experience with mediation was horrific, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the experience with Mr. Betz. His calm demeanor and efficiency was greatly appreciated, not to mention his willingness to step into an unknown situation and make it better, so very thankful.
I experienced a very difficult divorce process 6 years ago. There's no need to get into the details, but calling it difficult is quite an understatement. My now former spouse had unlimited funds for attorney's fees, and I did not. The whole process took 20 months from start to finish.
My primary concern was for the future of both children. David made his decisions on facts and what he believed to be best for the kids. He did an incredible job of remaining objective amidst all the distractions and what I'll call the antics of the other three attorneys, yes, three attorneys employed by the opposing side at different times during the 20 months.
David's recommendations to the judge never wavered from what was best for the kids. I am writing this review now because I can definitely state that David's recommendations were what was best for the kids. The kids are now 17 and 15, and they are thriving. Yes, I did my part as a parent, but I would never have had the chance to do so without the intelligence and integrity of David. He has the right combination of life experience, courage, and intelligence to earn the trust of anyone representing their children. I cannot say enough good things about David's commitment to being an exemplary GAL.
I will close by saying that I am a paramedic and have been for a long time. Paramedics judge each other on whether we would want a particular paramedic working on our children in an emergency. Using that benchmark, I trust David to work on behalf of my kids, and if you have the opportunity to have David represent your children, you can trust him to advocate for the most vulnerable individuals in a divorce who need protection the most.
I contacted the Betz Law Firm to handle changing my name this year.
The firm was very professional and returned my inquiry quickly. I worked with Debbye and she handled everything with accuracy and kindness.
Everything was handled quickly and easily. Debbye displayed her excellent knowledge of the process as she walked me through everything. Overall, they took great care of me. Truly a white glove experience! I cannot recommend Betz highly enough and will be back to any future legal needs.
Attorney David Betz was appointed Guardian ad Litem to represent my minor child during a highly contested divorce proceeding. Attorney Betz developed a structured and safe plan during the proceeding and recommended a final arrangement that was in the best interest of my minor child to keep him protected and ensure his safety.
David was very helpful and respectful all around. He took the time to hear my Sonâs concerns and made him feel comfortable sharing these concerns. He was always on time and ready to handle our case, always prepared. I appreciate that, to me it shows that he really does care about the families heâs helping. I highly recommend him if you are considering a GAL for your case.
I appreciate Mr. Betz taking the time and effort to get to know everyone, especially including by being a part of depositions, and helping to facilitate an opportunity for us to move forward amicably in a co-parenting dynamic. I would recommend him.
I have known David for many years, working on cases and outside of work. He is a fantastic advocate, has high standards, is well respected and sticks to his principles. He gets the struggles parents can face raising kids these days. I really admire his courage and how he fights to make a positive difference in people's lives, especially for his clients.
The Betz law firm did an amazing and efficient job executing on my non-contested divorce. My ex drug his feet and the law firm kept on him and even was prepared to go forward with a non-response judgement. My ex responded the day before we went for a non-responsive judgement and agreed, finally. The judge signed off within the week and I was notified via email that my divorce was final a few days prior to receiving the email. I never had to go to their office or to court to face my ex. From start to finish, this took 6 months almost to the day. Again, my ex drug his feet, this could have probably gone faster. Thank you Debbye Laskey for keeping the paperwork straight and to Mr. Betz for the legal components.
Mr. Betz is an exceptional attorney who has been an advisor for me and represented many of my clients. He is well respected within the legal community and trusted by all.
David and his team are excellent to work with. The care, expertise, along with the ease and frequency of communications always kept me well informed and aware of the status of my situation. I cannot recommend The Betz Law Firm enough and I wonât hesitate to call them again in the future if I ever require their services again.
Mr Betz worked with both of us for us with our mediation, no matter how frustrating she was becoming. He handled the situation very calmly and professionally. Thank you for helping it come to a resolution.
I have worked with Mr. Betz a number of times and have always found him to be a wonderful GAL and mediator. He does the work, gets things done, and cares about the tasks and people involved. I highly recommend him as both a GAL and mediator.
I hired the services of David Betz for purposes of getting a name change and him and his paralegal Debbye were professional, answered emails promptly, and were able to handle a complication in my case with no problems. Would highly recommend Mr. Betz.
David was very professional and helpful for our child during a recent litigation. I would highly recommend his firm for GAL service or attorney service!
I was very impressed with Mr. Betzâs service. He was the GAL for my children. He was very professional, fair-but-caring and advocated tireless for the childrenâs best interests. He took his time to talk to them about their wishes, giving us sound advice and guided us through an otherwise contentious process. I appreciated his professionalism, ethics and would highly recommend him.
My son and I have worked with David Betz for several years in custody matters concerning my grandson. I have found him to be genuinely concerned with our situation and responsive to our needs. He listens carefully and handles matters promptly. He is realistic in evaluating situations and helps us to arrive at the best possible alternatives. I highly recommend him for family law matters.
I am a transfeminine nonbinary person that used The Betz Firm to get my name changed. They were extremely affirming, and excited to work with me through this as it was an immensely huge deal for me. Thank you Betz Firm, for making this a reality for me!
Joel and David are extremely helpful and helped with everything I needed. They are kind and worked with me with all of my needs regarding my case! I would recommend to everyone!
During legal separation or divorce proceedings, spousal support may become an issue. Formerly known as alimony, spousal support is a monthly monetary payment from one partner to the other to help with living expenses. Under Missouri law, this is not a requirement for separating couples. For individuals seeking spousal support, we have the experience necessary to know when and how to present an argument for it.
Burden of Proof
For a spouse to receive these monthly payments, they must provide evidence that they lack sufficient property to meet their needs. The property considered will include that awarded as part of the divorce decree or separation agreement. They will also need to show sufficient reason why they could not support themselves through gainful employment. Our team will help you gather the proof you need to ensure your spouse is ordered to continue helping you financially.
How is the Amount of Spousal Support Determined?
Unlike some other states, Missouri has no set formula for determining spousal support. Instead, a judge will consider the duration of the marriage and the quality of life maintained. Typically, spousal support is awarded in long-standing marriages of more than ten years but can also be obtained in shorter marital relationships. Among other things, a judge will generally consider the following when making his final decision:
The income of both parties and their property are considered. In cases of spousal support, the marital property that is distributed is also taken into consideration.
How long has the couple been married?
The age of both parties and their overall health.
The present earning capacity of each party and their potential future earning capacity.
If there is a need for one partner to undergo special education or training to secure a job.
The existence of a joint household before the marriage, and how long that lasted.
The existence of separate households before the filing of the divorce petition.
Acts committed by one party against the other may have inhibited their ability to earn a wage. This is usually taken into consideration in cases where there is evidence of domestic violence or abuse in the household.
The ability of the spouse to become self-reliant in the future.
The reduced or lost ability to earn a wage resulted from having delayed or foregone education or career opportunities during the marriage to assist with childcare and other household duties.
The care of children, step-children, and elderly parents may inhibit the partner’s earning capacity.
The amount of time the partner has spent away from the workplace, and how this could affect their ability to return.
A need to pay for additional expenses for a child, such as medical treatment or daycare.
The tax consequences for both partners.
Contributions made by the partner as a wage earner, homemaker, and parent towards the other partner’s career.
The possible loss of health care benefits as a result of the divorce.
Any other factors that are presented as evidence
A Missouri family law judge can consider any factors he sees fit when contemplating a petition for spousal support. Our spousal support lawyers will carefully review your personal situation to ensure that the judge is informed of any and all information about your case.
Talk with a St. Louis Attorney About Spousal Support.
Whether you are seeking maintenance or responding to a request, spousal support outcomes depend heavily on the specifics of your case. The Betz Law Firm can help you understand how Missouri courts approach maintenance and what to expect in your situation.
Since there is no clear way to determine how long it would take for a party to become self-reliant, a termination date is seldom set for spousal support.
Can Spousal Support be Modified?
The terms for modification will be spelled out in your spousal support agreement. Most will be able to modify, especially when the payee remarries. For example, in custody and child support, a Missouri family law court must hear any changes made to your spousal support agreement. Modifications may be made, or spousal support may be terminated, if either party has undergone a major, ongoing change. This could include the financial resources for either party. Otherwise, spousal support may continue until one of the parties dies.
St. Louis Spousal Support Lawyer
No law requires spousal support to be awarded in every divorce or legal separation hearing. It can be difficult to prove the need for spousal support and even more difficult if you are attempting to modify an existing spousal support order. By having our family law firm’s knowledge and experience in spousal support agreements on your side, your chances of securing the financial help you deserve will increase.
Speak With an Experienced Attorney
Our firm uses experience, good communication, and availability to help families navigate life-changing events.
