Getting around alimony

[LyndaV]

HELP ME! I am 19 years old and my parents have been married for 20 years and unhappy with it for the last 7 or so. My parents do not get along at all. My father is a former drug users and dealer but has been clean for about 5 years, he has only worked one or two odd jobs since he got clean and my mom makes all of the money. He has very little to do with my siblings and I and is not much more than an emotional and financial burdern on my family. My mother is also the one who cooks, cleans, and is involved in my siblings and my schools. My father does nothing around the house but his "artwork" which he does not make any money on. As of the past few years he has grown incredible irritable and screams and yells or gives the silent treatment to my mother on a daily basis, most often for no apperent reason. My mother has wanted to get a divorse for some time now but she know that she would have to pay him alimony- which we cannot afford. She is a real estate agent and our income is sparadic and often fairly mininmal. I was wondering if there is any possible way my mom could get a divorse without having to pay alimony. Since my father did not contribute to our family income or houses work. I know that the law states the all finances and estate is owned 50/50 but I would like to know if there is any way to make it so he gets as little as possible out of the settlement. Thank you very much for you time. Any information and advice you could give me would be very helpful.
Sincerely
Lynda Vaterlaus

 

[LegalBeagle]

HELP ME! I am 19 years old and my parents have been married for 20 years and unhappy with it for the last 7 or so. My parents do not get along at all. My father is a former drug users and dealer but has been clean for about 5 years, he has only worked one or two odd jobs since he got clean and my mom makes all of the money. He has very little to do with my siblings and I and is not much more than an emotional and financial burdern on my family. My mother is also the one who cooks, cleans, and is involved in my siblings and my schools. My father does nothing around the house but his "artwork" which he does not make any money on. As of the past few years he has grown incredible irritable and screams and yells or gives the silent treatment to my mother on a daily basis, most often for no apperent reason. My mother has wanted to get a divorse for some time now but she know that she would have to pay him alimony- which we cannot afford. She is a real estate agent and our income is sparadic and often fairly mininmal. I was wondering if there is any possible way my mom could get a divorse without having to pay alimony. Since my father did not contribute to our family income or houses work. I know that the law states the all finances and estate is owned 50/50 but I would like to know if there is any way to make it so he gets as little as possible out of the settlement. Thank you very much for you time. Any information and advice you could give me would be very helpful.
Sincerely
Lynda Vaterlaus

This is a difficult question to answer.. I suggest she goes to speak with a few attorneys and get a free consultion. If they attack him hard on the drug side of things and show that he has in no way supported your mothers career advancement AND has no excuse why he is not working himself, then there is a fair chance that there would be no alimony.