When will I begin to receive child support or spousal maintenance (alimony)?

Support payments do not go into effect until the divorce or custody case has been finalized. That means that if you are entitled to receive child support or alimony from the other party, those payments are to begin on the first day of the first month following the finalization of the case. If you are entitled to child support from a divorce finalized in October, the payments would begin on November 1st. Similarly, you would receive spousal support on the first of November if it was awarded as part of the divorce.

If temporary support is ordered, those payments should begin on the date the Judge determines in the Temporary Orders. Temporary orders are separate paperwork that is filed with the other court papers for the case. These orders help speed up the process and assist people when there are issues that need to be addressed quickly. For more information on Temporary Orders, click here

It is also possible for the parties to reach a complete agreement regarding support. In that case, they could agree to a specific date for the support to begin and/or end. Are you still wondering when you will receive child support payments or alimony? If so, please contact our legal team today and they will help you out!