Alimony Attorney in New York

Serving New York City Since 2006, With 90 Years of Combined Family Law Experience

Spousal support questions don’t arrive at convenient moments. Whether you’re weighing how to cover rent in one of the most expensive cities in the country or you’re a primary earner concerned about the scope of a potential maintenance obligation, the financial decisions made during a New York divorce can shape your life for years. At Law Offices of Andreas Vasilatos, we’ve handled divorce and family law in New York City and surrounding counties since 2006, representing clients on both sides of a spousal maintenance question. Our team collectively brings 90 years of legal experience to matrimonial and family law matters, and with offices in Bayside, Queens, and Manhattan, we’re accessible to clients across the city at any stage of a separation or divorce. In New York, what most people call alimony is legally called “maintenance” under the Domestic Relations Law. The terms are interchangeable, and the rules governing how it’s calculated and awarded are detailed.

Worried about spousal support? Our New York maintenance attorneys are ready to help. Call (855) 773-1166 or contact Law Offices of Andreas Vasilatos today.

Spousal Support Strategy Built Around Your Financial Reality

Every family’s financial picture is different, and support between spouses is rarely simple. Some clients have traditional salary income; others are self-employed or earn through bonuses, commissions, stock awards, or variable compensation. We take the time to understand how money actually moves in your household and how that may affect maintenance under New York law.

When you work with our firm, we look closely at the history of your marriage, the choices you and your spouse made about careers and caregiving, and what you hope life can look like after the case is resolved. Our attorneys use that information to build a strategy that fits your circumstances. Whether you’re seeking maintenance to regain financial stability or facing a support claim, we work to protect your interests and pursue a practical result. We keep you informed at each stage, answer your questions in plain language, and adjust our approach as your case evolves.

How New York Courts Calculate Alimony & Spousal Maintenance

New York distinguishes between two types of maintenance. Temporary maintenance, sometimes called pendente lite support, is awarded during the divorce proceeding to help cover living expenses while the case moves forward. Post-divorce maintenance is determined as part of the final judgment and may be durational (paid for a fixed period) or, in limited circumstances involving long marriages or significant health and earning-capacity disparities, extended for a longer term.

For temporary maintenance, New York courts apply statewide guidelines as a starting point. For post-divorce maintenance, judges weigh a set of statutory factors alongside those guidelines.

Key considerations generally include:

• The length of the marriage
• Each spouse’s income and earning capacity
• Age and health of both parties
• The marital standard of living
• Career or educational sacrifices one spouse made for the other
• Child care responsibilities

New York law also provides advisory duration ranges tied to marriage length: roughly 15 to 30 percent of the marriage’s duration for marriages up to 15 years, 30 to 40 percent for marriages of 15 to 20 years, and 35 to 50 percent for marriages over 20 years. Judges retain discretion to adjust those ranges based on the facts. Accurate financial disclosure (through a Net Worth Statement and supporting documents) is required of both parties and directly shapes how maintenance is calculated.

Our attorneys regularly appear in New York City courts and understand how these guidelines and factors apply in practice. We help you gather and organize the financial documentation courts expect, and we explain how the specific facts of your case may influence a judge’s decision.

Common Spousal Support Situations We Handle

Spousal support issues arise in many different ways. You may have stayed home or worked part-time for years while your spouse built a career, and you now need maintenance to regain your financial footing. You may have supported your spouse through graduate school or professional training and want that history factored into the outcome. Or you may be a high earner who believes a proposed support amount goes beyond what the law and the facts support.

We work with clients from long-term marriages where support questions are substantial and with clients whose marriages were shorter, where any maintenance may be limited in time. Many people also need temporary maintenance to cover basic expenses while the divorce moves through the courts. We help clients request or respond to those arrangements and plan for post-divorce outcomes.

When a spouse appears to be concealing or underreporting income, we know how to address it. New York courts require complete financial disclosure, and legal tools exist to investigate undisclosed income sources. Spousal support also rarely exists in isolation. It frequently intersects with child support, child custody and parenting schedules, property division, and in some cases international or interstate family law matters. Our firm handles complex custody disputes involving cross-border elements, so we’re prepared to address maintenance questions within the full picture of your family’s situation.

How We Handle Spousal Support Cases From Start to Finish

When you come to us with a spousal support matter, our work moves through three stages: an initial consultation, financial analysis, and representation through negotiation or court proceedings.

Starting With a Detailed Consultation

When you contact our firm, we start by listening. In an initial meeting, we want to understand your concerns, your current financial situation, and your priorities for the future. We then explain how New York maintenance rules may apply to your circumstances and outline the options available to you.

Gathering & Analyzing Financial Information

Our attorneys work with you to collect and organize the financial information New York City courts typically expect: income documents, tax returns, business records, and details about regular expenses. For clients with complex compensation (including bonuses, stock awards, or self-employment income), we pay particular attention to capturing those income streams accurately so that support discussions are grounded in a realistic financial picture.

Negotiation, Mediation, & Litigation

Once we understand the numbers and your goals, we help you evaluate negotiation and mediation options. Many spouses can reach an agreement about spousal support that reflects their circumstances and avoids prolonged conflict. We prepare you for those discussions, help you weigh proposals, and work to craft language that is clear and durable.

When settlement isn’t possible, we’re prepared to present your position to the court in a detailed, organized way, drawing on our attorneys’ decades of family law practice in New York. Throughout the process, our commitment is the same: communicate openly, respond to your questions promptly, and help you stay prepared for every next step.