When you decided that a divorce was right for your situation, it wasn’t something you decided upon easily. You knew that it was going to impact your finances and make both of your lives more difficult. You and your spouse live a pretty nice lifestyle now, because you bring in several hundred-thousand dollars a year together. Cutting that in half, or more, is something that will definitely take its toll.
Preparing for a high-asset divorce can be complex. You may want to try to maintain the same quality of life you have now, but if you are the person who earns less out of yourself and your spouse, you may find that hard to do. That’s why you may want to ask for spousal support, even if you make a good living on your own.
“I make a lot of money,” is something you might say to contest asking for support, but the truth is that how far that money goes depends on the lifestyle you’re used to. If your spouse earns $150,000 a year and you earn $75,000, you’re both going to live much more comfortably when you combine those earnings. When you try to live on $75,000 alone, it creates a totally different financial picture.
Asking your spouse to help make up some of that difference, at least temporarily, is fair. You should sit down with a budget and determine how much support you need and what would help you. Whether it’s an extra $12,000 a year or just $5,000 more to help you afford an apartment in the same local area, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.
