In your marriage, you have been the person staying at home and taking care of the kid. You had to give up your job and stay home because the cost of daycare would have been more than you made. In the end, it made sense to be a stay-at-home parent, and you and your spouse were able to make ends meet without your income.
What you didn’t expect was that not working would breed resentment. You were angry that you had to give up your job and had few connections to get back into work after a couple of years of staying home. On top of that, your spouse was upset that you weren’t considering returning to the workforce, even though you had plenty of money between you.
Over time, this constant conflict led to your separation and your spouse filing for divorce. Your primary concern after child custody rights is that you don’t have a job and a means of self-support. Should you seek spousal support from your ex?
Spousal support may help you get back on your feet after a divorce
Seeking spousal support isn’t the worst idea following a divorce, because it can give you the financial support you need as you look into obtaining a new job or go back to school to learn new skills. It may help you make up the difference between your income and your spouse’s income once you find a job, too. Spousal support is not normally permanent, but it could be good as you work to get yourself into a stable financial situation following your divorce. If this is something you need, don’t be afraid to ask for it.
The best way to protect your interests in a divorce is to have good representation. An early consultation with an attorney can help you plan your next steps.