Advantage Family Law
Spousal Support
Trusted Calgary Divorce Lawyers for Fair Alimony and Spousal Support
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Advantage Family Law is a Calgary firm that focuses on people who have ended their relationship with a spouse. In many of these cases, the law requires one party to pay their husband/wife money for spousal support. This applies to legal marriages or common law relationships.
We fight to make sure that our clients are treated fairly for any issue relating to spousal support.
Legal Advice You Can Trust
Advantage Family Law offers experience and advice you can trust. Christopher Bungay will guide your case from start to finish. While junior staff may help him, your spousal support issues will always be directed by Chris and his two decades of experience.
Since 2003, Chris has been a legal advocate for clients across Canada. He has been a member of law associations in three Canadian provinces, and has appeared before judges from coast to coast.
Because of his years of experience, Chris is aware of the emotional toll the legal system can take on his clients. He will always do his best to try and lessen conflict between you and your former spouse, and to avoid legal fighting is much as possible. However, if your former spouse is not being reasonable, Chris is ready to step up and defend your rights.
Legal Advice You Can Trust
Chris is currently a member of the Family Law section of the Canadian Bar Association. He is also an active participant in the Law Society of Alberta. Chris spends his time outside of law with his wife and young twins. He is also an active community volunteer serving as President of Sober Kids Canada, a national charity dedicated to keeping youth free from drug use.
Before moving to Calgary in 2023, Chris ran a multi-city law firm in British Columbia. During that time, he acted as the mentor for eight young lawyers while also representing hundreds of his own clients.
Advantage Family Law offers experience and advice you can trust. Christopher Bungay will guide your case from start to finish. While junior staff may help him, your spousal support issues will always be directed by Chris and his two decades of experience.
Since 2003, Chris has been a legal advocate for clients across Canada. He has been a member of law associations in three Canadian provinces, and has appeared before judges from coast to coast.
Because of his years of experience, Chris is aware of the emotional toll the legal system can take on his clients. He will always do his best to try and lessen conflict between you and your former spouse, and to avoid legal fighting is much as possible. However, if your former spouse is not being reasonable, Chris is ready to step up and defend your rights.
Chris is currently a member of the Family Law section of the Canadian Bar Association. He is also an active participant in the Law Society of Alberta. Chris spends his time outside of law with his wife and young twins. He is also an active community volunteer serving as President of Sober Kids Canada, a national charity dedicated to keeping youth free from drug use.
Before moving to Calgary in 2023, Chris ran a multi-city law firm in British Columbia. During that time, he acted as the mentor for eight young lawyers while also representing hundreds of his own clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spousal Support: Where to begin?
After your relationship ends, the first stage of the process is to look at what this means for your finances. The law can impose a lot of financial requirements on ex-spouses. There may be a big difference between what you think is “fair”, and what you can expect to pay or receive in money from your ex-spouse.
If your marriage (including common law) has ended, you will need legal advice to determine what amounts you may have to pay or receive from your husband or wife. This payment of money is often referred to as “spousal support”. In general terms, spousal support means money that one partner has to pay their ex-spouse for ongoing financial support.
Spousal Support - When would I have to pay?
The law sets out requirements for when someone is either a) obligated to pay support, or b) entitled to receive support.
You may be required to pay support in the following circumstances:
- You had a longer marriage, and your spouse took care of most of the household duties while you worked outside the home.
- You earned significantly more than your spouse during your marriage, and your ability to earn income is higher than his/hers after the marriage ends.
- Your spouse took care of most of the childcare and continues to do so after your relationship ends.
How do I know if my spouse owes me money for support?
Your ex-spouse may be obligated to pay you support in the following types of circumstances:
- During your relationship, you took care of the home responsibilities. In turn, this empowered your spouse to pursue his/her career and earn more income.
- You are unable to earn the same income as your spouse after separation.
- Because of the separation, your standard of living is now much less than it was before your relationship ended.
Advantage Law – Helping to Protect Your Rights
Advantage Law helps people understand their rights about spousal support. We do this by analyzing all of the financial information involved in your relationship, including how much everyone in the family earned and what assets you have (home, pensions, savings etc.). We also carefully look at what each spouse’s roles were in the household during your marriage. After this analysis is complete, we help our clients in the following ways:
Advantage Family Law – Helping to Protect Your Rights
Advantage Family Law helps people understand their rights about spousal support. We do this by analyzing all of the financial information involved in your relationship, including how much everyone in the family earned and what assets you have (home, pensions, savings etc.). We also carefully look at what each spouse’s roles were in the household during your marriage. After this analysis is complete, we help our clients in the following ways:
- If your spouse owes you money for support, we act quickly to ensure your ex-spouse pays you what is owing on a continuous, regular basis.
- If you owe support to your ex-spouse, we make sure you pay only what is legally required, not more than that.
- If you do not owe any spousal support, we fight to ensure you not pay any support.
We Help You Understand How Much is Owing for Spousal Support
Advantage Family Law focuses on helping our clients understand how much is owing for spousal support. In this way, you will know whether the amount you are paying or receiving is fair according to the law.
The following are some general guidelines and rules that help determine the proper amount of support:
We Help You Understand How Much is Owing for Spousal Support
Advantage Family Law focuses on helping our clients understand how much is owing for spousal support. In this way, you will know whether the amount you are paying or receiving is fair according to the law.
The following are some general guidelines and rules that help determine the proper amount of support:
The longer the marriage, the higher the support payment
Generally, in longer marriages, if one spouse is financially dependent on another spouse, the support amounts can be greater and also required to be paid for more time in the future vs. a shorter marriage. Shorter marriages, and/or marriages where both parties are financial equals may not require payment of any spousal support.
Lifestyle before separation
How you lived as a couple (lifestyle) can determine how much is owing for spousal support. The spouse who is owed support has some entitlement to continue to live with the same kind of lifestyle he/she had before the relationship ended.
The financial needs of one spouse vs. the other spouse
The legal system weighs the financial need of one spouse vs. the income and needs of the other spouse. The spouse who is more in need and earns less is often entitled to be paid support from their partner.
Economic self-sufficiency (ability to work and earn)
If one spouse is able to earn the same income as the divorcing spouse, the amount of spousal support owed may be lower or not required at all.
What if my partner treated me badly before we separated?
In most cases, whether a spouse was a ‘good’ spouse (faithful, kind) will not be a factor in determining the amount owing for support. However, there can be an exception if the bad conduct harmed the couple’s finances. For example, if one spouse intentionally spent all their money before the separation a judge may order that person to pay more spousal support to make up for the financial loss.
Do we have to wait until our divorce is finished before support is paid?
No, a judge can order support to be paid before a divorce is complete. Divorces usually cannot be finalized until a year after separation. However, before that one year is done, a spouse can apply to a judge asking for payment of spousal support before the divorce is finished.
Your Rights Are Important To Us
At our law firm, your rights are our top priority. It is our goal to make sure that your ex-spouse respects your rights. Contact us today to learn how you can get a fair settlement in
your divorce.