Alimony

If you get married or enter into a registered partnership, you are legally obligated to financially support each other. This is known as the maintenance obligation. If you get divorced or separate at a later time, this maintenance obligation does not lapse. This obligation entails continuing financial support for each other for a certain period after separation. If you have children, you both remain financially responsible for the upbringing and care of the children. This may create an obligation to pay alimony.

For all your alimony-related questions, the specialists at Simmelink Law Firm are ready to assist with:

What is alimony?

Alimony is a regular payment made by one ex-partner (the supporting spouse) to the other (the dependent spouse). In the Netherlands, there are two types of alimony: partner alimony and child support.

Partner alimony

Spousal maintenance is a financial contribution towards living expenses from one ex-partner to another. The obligation to pay spousal maintenance arises after a divorce or the dissolution of a registered partnership if one of the ex-partners cannot fully support themselves.

Usually, the supporting spouse pays a monthly amount to the dependent spouse for several years. However, it’s also possible to mutually agree on a lump sum payment to settle the maintenance obligation. It is also possible to make other payment arrangements.

Calculating partner alimony

The amount of partner alimony depends on the following:

  • The lifestyle during the marriage or registered partnership.
  • The reasonable needs of the dependent spouse, in addition to their income from work or assets.
  • What the (former) spouse liable for alimony can pay (paying capacity)

Child support

Child support is the amount one parent pays to the other after a divorce, contributing towards the children’s expenses. After all, parents remain jointly responsible for the care and upbringing of their children, even if they separate. This includes financial responsibilities as well. Until your child is 18, you will remain jointly responsible for the costs of care and upbringing, according to your means. In certain situations, you may be obliged to continue to pay the costs of living and studying until your child is 21, according to your means.

In most cases, the parent of the child’s primary residence receives child support from the other parent. However, there may also be an obligation to pay alimony in cases of co-parenting.

Calculating child support

The amount of child support depends on the needs of the child. This need depends, among other things, on the net family income before the divorce, the financial capacity of the parents, the number of children in the family, the age of the children, and the care arrangement agreed upon in the parenting plan.

Use our free tool to estimate the amount of child support.

If you would like an initial idea of how much maintenance you should pay or receive, please complete our free calculation tool. In this tool, you will answer various questions about your family situation and the income of you and your ex-partner. You will then immediately receive a general approximation of the amount of child support.

Recalculating alimony

Alimony amounts are often fixed for extended periods. However, a lot can change. For example, perhaps you or your ex-partner has a new job or has been promoted. For instance, you or your ex-partner might have a new job or received a promotion. The family situation may have changed due to a new relationship. Additionally, if one of you owns a business, you may have to deal with fluctuating income. In these cases and more, it may be useful to recalculate the alimony agreement.

We specialize in alimony issues

Alimony disputes often cause a lot of stress. The specialists at Simmelink have a great deal of experience in calculating child and spousal support. We adhere to the applicable alimony standards while also considering your personal situation. Our alimony calculations offer clear insights into how much you should pay or what you are entitled to receive. Based on this calculation, you can make agreements with your ex-partner about the amount of alimony, or we can submit a request to the court if you cannot reach an agreement together.

Simmelink Law firm also specializes in international divorces. So even if you or your ex-partner live abroad, have a different nationality, or if there are foreign currencies, income taxes, insurance, and expenses, we can assist you.

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Auteur: Carla Simmelink

Carla Simmelink is advocaat en eigenaar van Advocatenkantoor Simmelink. Haar specialisaties zijn: familierecht, naamrecht en erfrecht in Nederlandse en internationale kwesties. Carla is een betrokken, geïnteresseerde gesprekspartner en gaat voor het beste resultaat. Pragmatisch en doelmatig behartigt zij uw belangen.

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Carla Simmelink

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