Grey Divorce: Issues For Older Spouses By Amy A. Edwards Middle-aged and older spouses have the same issues as other couples when they separate and divorce, although they are viewing them from the other direction. They don’t usually have any minor children but they often have substantial assets. People in second or third marriages are more likely to have premarital agreements or “prenups” that dictate what must be done about property and alimony if the couple splits. Another likely scenario of those with silver hair and more than one marriage under their belts is tracing property. In our state, tracing is used to decide what share of an asset is separate property, and what share, if any, is marital property. This is expensive and time-consuming especially when addressing real estate, investment and retirement accounts. Therefore, this article assumes all assets are marital property and that there is no premarital agreement. Alimony & Expenses North Carolina courts must consider the incomes and reasonable expenses of both spouses in alimony cases. Spouses who are nearing age 65 are facing Medicare and “doughnut hole” insurance instead of private insurance. Medicare could make things better or worse financially when compared with the health, vision and dental insurance offered by a spouse’s employer and whether the employer paid at least part of the premiums. Settlements and court orders for people nearing 65 typically take this into account, changing the amount of support once one or both spouses have Medicare coverage. Older spouses routinely lose loved ones and inherit property. While inheritances are usually considered separate property, assets such as rental property or investments are considered income for purposes of alimony. Alimony: When Should You Retire? When alimony is looming, parties may bicker about the reasonable age that the breadwinner or the financially dependent spouse should retire. Although it is extremely rare, I’ve actually had a case in which the judge ruled that the breadwinner couldn’t afford to retire at a certain age. Of course, he was legally free to retire any time but his alimony was still ordered based on the same income he had from his employment. Judges consider a number of things when deciding if someone should be able to retire for purposes of determining income for an alimony case, including age, health, work history and whether the spouse is genuinely ready to retire or just saying that for court. Parties might...
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The Live-in Girlfriend’s Income & Expenses in Alimony Cases By Amy A. Edwards Unlike child support, North Carolina does not use any Guidelines or formula when deciding what amount alimony should be. Instead, the judge decides whether the low-earning spouse is entitled to alimony, and if so, whether the higher-earning spouse can afford to pay it. All of these decisions are made in the discretion of the judge. If you lined up ten judges to hear the same alimony case, you would very likely have ten different rulings. This is not only frustrating for the parties, but also for attorneys who don’t have the benefit of a crystal ball. What’s the Deal with Alimony? By state law, the judge must decide what each person’s income is, and what each person’s reasonable living expenses are. The judge reviews a budget prepared by each party called a financial affidavit, about which each party testifies under oath. The financially dependent spouse must prove more reasonable living expenses than income, which is a financial shortfall. The supporting spouse tries to show expenses and income so as to avoid showing a surplus of money. In other words, the lower-earning spouse wants to show a deficit, and the higher-earning spouse wants to avoid having a surplus of money left over after paying living expenses. A financial surplus is money that can be used for paying alimony. Frequently, the expenses each party asserts are quite different from what a judge decides is reasonable. For example, a spouse who earns $26,000 per year will likely have a hard time justifying a $700 per month vehicle payment as a reasonable living expense. Courts often expect both parties to tighten their belts after a separation. The judge in that example might think the vehicle could be sold or traded in exchange for a vehicle with a $350 per month payment. In that event, the judge would credit that spouse with $350 as a reasonable vehicle payment. Why Do I Say The Girlfriend? Although alimony is payable to husbands or wives, the disparity of incomes almost always means the wife is the dependent spouse in Eastern North Carolina. Usually, the wife seeks alimony, and the husband tries to defend against paying it, or at least tries to lower the amount of it. Based on this assumption, the wife loses alimony if she resides with a boyfriend or remarries. On the...
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A (Very Brief) History of Women Separation and Necessaries By Amy A. Edwards Did you ever wonder why “they might come after me” if the bill collector can’t find your ex? It is because North Carolina uses the doctrine of necessaries. When you hear about a duty of support, you think of alimony but that applies only between spouses. But when a third-party, such as a doctor or hospital, provides necessary services to a spouse, that third-party has the right to seek payment from the other spouse in certain circumstances, based on the doctrine of necessaries. This arises in both services (medical and non-medical) and goods but necessaries are frequently disputed in the context of medical care. Those services are usually expensive enough to merit the time and cost of litigating them in court. The general rule is that a third-party who provides medical services that were necessary for health and well-being of the husband or wife may seek payment from the other spouse. [FN1] The Exception to the Rule: Separation and Notice North Carolina recognizes a quirky exception to the general rule. If you and your spouse are separated when he or she receives the medical care and the provider has actual notice that you are separated, you have a defense. [FN1] In other words, current law says that just being separated isn’t legally adequate to get you off the hook for your spouse’s medical bill. The third-party provider must be put on notice that you are separated. As you might imagine, most people won’t go to the hospital and elect to mention that their spouse shouldn’t be liable for payment of the bill. People can avoid being at the mercy of the law by making their own agreement. Usually, separation agreements address this by agreeing the person who receives care must reimburse the other spouse if he or she is forced to pay it. Early Law: Wife’s Expenses The colonies brought with them British law, which at the time said that unless the wife left her husband for an unjustified reason, he was responsible for her necessary expenses, i.e., her necessaries. Technically, if a husband failed to provide for her, a wife was legally entitled to obtain what was necessary, at which time he would owe the provider of goods or services on her behalf. This assumes she was in a position to enforce those rights. But unlike a single woman,...
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Forgive and Forget: Condonation in North Carolina By Amy A. Edwards Judges have a good deal of leeway in deciding what to do about marital fault and defenses when they are proven in court. Traditional sex roles are rapidly changing in some ways but not in others, and judges react differently to the behavior that constitutes marital fault. Some think fault is very important, but others do not. Marital fault relates to alimony, not equitable distribution, which is the division of marital property. What Are the Marital Fault Grounds? A spouse commits marital fault if he or she abandons the family, commits adultery, “maliciously turns the other out of doors” or “by cruel or barbarous treatment endangers the life of the other.” If a spouse “becomes an excessive user of alcohol or drugs so as to render the condition of the other spouse intolerable and the life of that spouse burdensome” that is also marital fault. The last ground of marital fault, known as indignities, is a catchall for bad behavior generally. It occurs when a spouse “offers such indignities to the person of the other as to render his or her condition intolerable and life burdensome.” NC Gen. Stat. §50-7. Consequences of Marital Fault Marital fault is not a requirement for alimony. But if someone commits marital fault, the judge can financially penalize the person receiving or paying support. In cases of adultery, the financially-dependent spouse who cheated cannot receive alimony, and the supporting spouse who is the bread-winner must pay alimony if he or she cheats. The policy is based on the historical tradition of an innocent dependent spouse who was left financially stranded by the other, who left for greener pastures with another romantic interest, for example. What is a Defense to Marital Fault? A defense means that you can be shielded from the consequences the marital fault that you committed. A defense excuses the bad behavior (i.e., the marital fault) and gives the spouse at fault a “clean slate” legally. From our example above, if you are an adulterous supporting spouse without the legal defense of condonation, you are automatically required to pay alimony. The only remaining questions at the point is the amount of alimony to be paid, and for how long. The Defense of Condonation Condonation, condoning bad behavior, is as a defense to a spouse’s marital fault. Black’s Law Dictionary defines condonation...
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What Do Judges Consider in Alimony Cases? By Amy A. Edwards The factors guide judges in reminding them of the most important things. Either spouse may seek alimony if he or she earns less than the other in North Carolina, although there’s no specific dollar amount that determines by how much less. While we have guidelines in child support cases that compute an amount based on incomes and certain child-related expenses, we don’t have anything of that nature for alimony. Each party prepares a budget as a trial exhibit, which includes income and living expenses. If the judge awards it, the amount of alimony and how long it will be paid is discretionary. Alimony Factors: Incomes/Benefits NC judges must consider a list of factors in alimony cases. The first factor to consider is how much income each spouse has, and sometimes what a spouse has the capacity to earn. Also considered is unearned income, which is not shown on a W-2 statement, such as dividends, rents, retirement payments, disability, social security payments and employment benefits such as medical insurance (and/or dental and vision insurance), retirement benefits, and marital property and debts. Alimony Factors: Each Person’s Situation The court considers each spouse’s individual circumstance, education, age, physical and mental abilities, and emotional conditions. For example, a 25-year-old spouse and a 60-year-old spouse will be treated differently based on medical conditions and the ability to work. Their needs and expectations, such as the anticipated date of retirement or going back to school, also vary. Marital misconduct of either spouse may also be considered. Alimony Factors: History of the Marriage The court also looks at the standard of living that the parties established during the marriage. How long the parties were married and the contribution by one spouse to the education, training, or increased earning power of the other spouse are other factors. One party might have kept the home-fires burning for the last ten years, caring for the children while the other devoted his or her energy to obtaining a degree or advance in a profession, improving the family income. In fact, the statute also requires the judge to consider the “extent to which the earning power, expenses, or financial obligations of a spouse will be affected by reason of serving as the custodian of a minor child.” Alimony Factors: Miscellaneous The court looks at family obligations, such as paying child...
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The Top Five Reasons a Divorce Matters in North Carolina By Amy A. Edwards In North Carolina, a spouse can file a claim for divorce only a separation of at least twelve months. Besides the ability to allow someone to remarry, a divorce is important for a number of reasons. This article isn’t legal advice, and it does not cover all of the reasons. But it highlights a few examples of why someone who is served with a complaint absolutely needs to contact a lawyer immediately. Reason #1 – Marital Property Married people who separate can file a claim for equitable distribution, asking the court to divide marital property equally (instead of just relying on which name is on the title or deed). Our state creates a deadline for filing those claims, and the clock starts ticking when a divorce complaint is filed. Failure to properly file for marital property division within the correct time period means it is permanently lost. Reason #2 – Health Insurance Family plans that cover both spouses and any children change the moment a divorce decree is entered. As of that moment, a spouse is no longer “related” for purposes of a family plan because they are no longer a family member. Children of the person who provides health insurance remain on a family plan after a divorce. Reason #3 – Estate Rights Inheritance rights between spouses are completely different from those of non-spouses. This is a very complicated area of the law that can be related to whether a claim for marital property. Examples of potential rights upon the death of a spouse include an allowance of money, the right to a share of the assets if there is no will, and the right to contests a will. Designation as a spouse or former spouse can involve Social Security benefits, military benefits and other survivor’s benefits. Reason #4 – Liens Against the House Married people are sometimes protected from creditors if only one of them created a debt in his or her sole name. For example, the innocent spouse who did not sign a credit card application is usually, but not always, protected from money judgments that would otherwise become a lien against the marital residence. The moment the innocent spouse becomes an ex-spouse, this can trigger a lien against the property even if the debt (such as credit card debt) is not...
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