Imagine the courts award a person from a nine-and-a-half-year marriage alimony for six years. In other words, if the court makes a ruling regarding alimony, child support, or child custody, and there is a change in circumstances that merits requesting a modification of the divorce decree, the same judge that originally heard the matter will hear the matter again. However, the courts may look at the history of the couple's time together and may consider long separations when calculating the length of the marriage. Her work has appeared in numerous online publications including USA Today, Legal Zoom, eHow Business, Livestrong, SF Gate, Go Banking Rates, Arizona Central, Houston Chronicle, Navy Federal Credit Union, Pearson, Quicken.com, TurboTax.com, and numerous attorney websites. Absent evidence to the contrary, the court must presume that a marriage of 10 years or more is a marriage of long duration; it may also find that a marriage of less than 10 years qualifies as a marriage of long … The goal is for the supported spouse to be self-supporting within a reasonable period of time. However, this is only a general rule. It cannot presume that one-half the length of the marriage is a reasonable period of time for spousal support. California proposed a .4% annual wealth tax that applies to former residents who already left within the past 10 years, and to current residents for ten years after they leave. Here are the rules on Social Security and divorce. The ONLY thing the Family Code says is that marriages over 10 years is one of "long duration". Such a designation will affect any award of spousal support. You don't need to have celebrated your silver wedding anniversary to have a lengthy marriage in the eyes of California courts. California is a community property state, which means the law presumes all property acquired during the marriage is owned equally by both spouses. Even when spouses no longer live together they are still legally married at the time of trial. The statements and opinions are the expression of author, not LegalZoom, and have not been evaluated by LegalZoom for accuracy, completeness, or changes in the law. Absent evidence to the contrary, the court must presume that a marriage of 10 years or more is a marriage of long duration; it may also find that a marriage of less than 10 years qualifies as a marriage of long duration. This is not, however, true. For example, if a couple married Jan. 1, 2009, and filed for separation Jan. 1, 2019, but didn't live together between 2014 and 2016, courts may determine this is not a marriage of long duration, thus the court can choose not to retain jurisdiction. Spengler splits her time between the French Basque Country and Northern California. In reality, there is no “Ten Year Rule.” Here are the facts: California law (Family Code Section 4336(a)) says that where a marriage is “of long duration,” the court “retains jurisdiction” indefinitely after the divorce is completed, unless the spouses agree otherwise. — Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) August 15, 2020 When the court is determining how long spousal support payments should last, it must apply a different standard to marriages of long duration. When a marriage has lasted 10 years or more, the courts apply a different standard. Community Property Laws in California for a 10 Year Marriage. And in such cases, the court retains jurisdiction to modify support indefinitely. Wondering how to get a divorce in California? As a general rule, a nine-and-a-half-year marriage is not considered a marriage of long duration in the state of California. And, in a divorce or legal separation in California, it will be treated as community property. Get the right guidance with an attorney by your side. Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin were married for more than 10 years before their split in March 2014. But what impact does that have on the divorce proceedings of California residents? Terms of Use and What effect does a marriage of over 10 years have on alimony in California? California is one of a few states where you can benefit in alimony payments from staying married 10 years or longer. So generally speaking, a person divorcing after nine-and-a-half years of marriage is presumed entitled to four years and three months of alimony. Under the USFSPA, the 10/10 rule allows eligible former spouses of servicemembers to receive their court-ordered portion of the servicemember's retired pay directly from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). Except in marriages of a long duration, this time period is generally one-half the length of the marriage; however, the court can assign spousal support for a longer or shorter period of time. Many people interpret this rule as “you will be guaranteed alimony for life if you hit the 10-year mark in your marriage.” This could not be farther from the truth! Privacy Policy. One of the most troublesome involves the 10-year rule. California's famous 10-year rule, however, is widely misquoted and misinterpreted. When you choose to divorce after more than 10 years of marriage, there is no automatic rule that the wealthier spouse must forever pay alimony to the less wealthy spouse. Our network attorneys have an average customer rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. The Mythical 10 Year Rule – California Spousal Support. In a nine-and-a-half-year marriage, the court does not retain jurisdiction over the parties. This is a simpler process, which generally doesn't require an appearance before a judge. Under California Family Code Section 4336, a divorce court does not automatically lose jurisdiction after dissolving a marriage of long duration; therefore, it may continue to amend its orders over time. Under California’s community property rules, retirement plans — like all assets of the marriage — must be divided in half. The law specifically states, “Nothing in this section is intended to limit the court's discretion to order support for a greater or lesser length of time.". On MSN Money Liz Pulliam Weston gives us an insightful look at the 10 year rule in divorce, and why so many celebrities call it quits on marriage before their tenth anniversaries. Process feeling overwhelming? One form to be prepared is a Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage for the judge to sign, thereby making the divorce final. Spousal Support in Perpetuity, If the Divorce Occurs After 10 Years of Marriage. As a result, the court will divide marital property equally if spouses later divorce. Spousal Support and the 10-Year Rule. This amount is on the low end for a contested divorce in Orange County, and it does not include the legal fees for an appeal. Here is a 10 step guide that shows the smart way of doing it. First, at least one of the two parties to the divorce must have lived in California for at least six months prior to filing for divorce. How does being married for 10 years or more affect alimony in California? We are not a law firm, or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. No need to navigate the legal waters alone, Law for Families is here to help! Retaining jurisdiction means that the court has the ability to continue making decisions about matters between the spouses, and can reevaluate its … Once the six years have passed, the alimony ceases. from U.C. California Divorce Laws and the 10 Year Rule, Things to Ask for in a Divorce Settlement, Pinkham Law Offices: Divorce and Divorce Mediation, Dishon and Block: Top 10 Pieces of Divorce Advice You Are Going to Need. While the above statement is partially correct as some states consider a marriage of 10 years or more a long-term marriage, divorce after 10 years in California does not mean an ex-spouse will automatically receive permanent spousal support. It's all hoopla over practically nothing. Let’s find the text of the California Family Code that states anything about 10 years. Attorneys with you, every step of the way. This is one of the most widely misinterpreted divorce laws in California. The content is not legal advice. Duration is something that is negotiated in a California divorce case. However, the courts may declare it a marriage of long duration if they so choose. So generally speaking, a person divorcing after nine-and-a-half years of marriage is presumed entitled to four years and three months of alimony. On the other hand, a 10-year marriage is, by law, considered a marriage of long duration. Before hanging onto a bad marriage for a few more years to clinch the supposed alimony benefits of a marriage of long duration, it pays to understand the actual meaning of this concept within the context of California law. Maybe it is 10 years and three months or 20 years. In part, spousal support is intended to protect an untrained spouse who has been out of the workforce for a significant time, so much so that she cannot readily find lucrative employment. Teo Spengler earned a J.D. Use of our products and services are governed by our It states, “For the purpose of retaining jurisdiction, there is a presumption affecting the burden of producing evidence that a marriage of 10 years or more, from the date of marriage to the date of separation, is a marriage of long … Divorce is becoming more and more common, and with this rise in divorce comes an inevitable rise in “urban myths” surrounding this process. The 10-year-rule is much ado about nothing. California law uses the term "spousal support," also known as alimony, to describe payments that one divorcing spouse is ordered to pay the other to maintain the lesser-earning spouse at the standard of living enjoyed during the marriage. California courts are required by law to consider several factors set out in Family Code Section 4320 when awarding spousal support. For purposes of determining spousal support during divorce, Riverside courts will generally divide marriages into two types: short-term (less than 10 years) and long term (10 years or more). This portion of the site is for informational purposes only. Many people believe that once a marriage passes that 10-year mark, there are extensive financial benefits to a divorcing spouse who makes less than their partner. The court may order a lesser or greater period of support after evaluating the factors set forth in the Family Code and considering the circumstances of the parties; it may even decide that the lesser-earning spouse in a marriage of long duration will never be able to support himself or herself and requires support for life. On alimony in California find the text of the California Family Code that states anything about 10 years on. Smart way of doing it not, however, the alimony ceases of 5 stars writing and enjoys legal! 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