Best Divorce Lawyers in Phoenix, AZ

We will discuss what you need to discuss and everything you tell me will remain confidential even if you do not retain me to represent you. Quite often, I have detailed conversations during the initial consultation with people I have only met for a few minutes about very intimate or sensitive issues.

Alimony or spousal maintenance is money that is paid by one spouse to the other spouse after the spouses are divorced. The primary purpose of spousal maintenance is to provide the receiving spouse with sufficient financial support to allow that spouse the time necessary to obtain training or education to become self-sufficient.

Child support in Arizona is based on the "income shares" model which assumes that separated parents should support their children financially in proportion to their incomes, based on the assumption that intact families do the same. The Arizona Supreme Court prepares Child Support Guidelines that are reviewed every 4 years. Child support is based on each parent's gross monthly income, a phrase that is defined broadly. In some cases, it is appropriate to impute income to a parent. Arizona's minimum wage is ordinarily the least amount of income a parent will be imputed but, again, each case is different. Child support also includes adjustments for spousal maintenance, the cost of supporting other children from other relationships, medical insurance, child care, children over 12 years old, extra education expenses, and extraordinary expenses for a child with special needs. Child support is also calculated based on the amount of time each child spends with each parent. In cases where the parents have equal time but different incomes, child support can still be owed. The current child support calculator can be reviewed at this link to the Arizona Supreme Court's website.

Yes, under Arizona law unpaid child support is not extinguished merely because a child is emancipated. I have represented men who are still dealing with past child support issues when their children are in their 30's.

Generally, the Child Support Guidelines require the parents to share the tax credits for their children in proportion to the parents' incomes. There is more to this issue, however, because the federal Internal Revenue Code conflicts with Arizona law regarding the tax credits. It is an issue that requires more time to explain.