Understanding Alimony in Texas

You may have heard that Texas is a “no alimony” state, but that is not exactly true.

Stages of Financial Support

Stage 1: While the Divorce is Pending

During this stage, one spouse can be required to pay the other for various expenses, including:

• House payments
• Rent
• Credit card bills
• Medical expenses
• Insurance payments
• Other necessary expenses

Stage 2: After the Divorce is Complete

After the divorce, depending on the length of the marriage, one spouse may be required to pay “spousal maintenance,” which is essentially Texas’ version of alimony. Key points include:
– Spousal maintenance can be taxed under IRS code as alimony.
– Amounts vary based on:
– Length of marriage
– Fault in the divorce
– Earning capacity of both spouses
– The legal standard is whether the receiving spouse can meet their minimum reasonable needs.