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Texas Spousal Support and Child Support Overview

Spousal Support: (Alimony)

Texas has a policy of limiting alimony. 

In general, alimony will be granted only in marriages of ten years or more, and only if the spouse receiving maintenance will not have enough property after the divorce to provide for his or her minimum reasonable needs, and only if: 

The recipient is physically or mentally disabled, and so can not support himself or herself; or The recipient is custodian of a child who has physical or mental disability making it advisable that the recipient not be employed outside the home; or The recipient clearly lacks earning ability in the labor market. Maintenance may also be awarded if the payer committed a criminal offense that is an act of family violence within 2 years before the suit was filed, or some time after the suit was filed. 

Child Support:

Under federal law each state has established a mathematical formula for calculating child support.  The courts tend to follow these formulas pretty closely. 

Texas's child support amount is calculated based on a percentage of the net income of the non-custodial parent. The percentages are specified in tables published by the state. Net income is gross income minus income tax withholding, social security taxes, health insurance premiums for the child, and union dues.

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