If my wife makes 3 times what I do, can I get alimony and do I pay child support?
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If my wife makes 3 times what I do, can I get alimony and do I pay child support?
She makes $200,000; I make $65,000. Can I get alimony and do I pay child support?
Asked on May 2, 2019 under Family Law, Tennessee
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 4 years ago | Contributor
1) Alimony: you will likely be entitled to alimony, since as you point out, your wife earns 3x what you do and presumably provides the bulk of the family's income and support. A wife earning 3x what the husband earns should be treated the same as a husband earning 3x what the wife does, which almost always results in alimony. There is no legal basis for treating a high-earning wife differently than a high-earning husband.
2) Child support is paid by the noncustodial parent to the custodial one. The issue is, who will get child custody? That is typically the parent who has been more responsible for and spent more time on child care, though other factors (like criminal record, if any; addictions or health issues, if any; where that parent intends to live post-divorce [since the courts don't like to uproot children]; etc.) will also be taken into account in determining what custodial arrangement is best for the children.
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