Legal Question in Family Law in Australia
My wife has decide to leave me. We have one daughter and we propose to 'share' her - one week with me and one week my wife. We will halve all major costs for my daughter including medical and schooling, etc.
When she is with me I obviously take care of grocery costs and vice versa when she is with my wife.
I earn more money than my wife.
My question is: Am I liable for any alimony costs seeing as we are sharing custody?
1 Answer from Attorneys
In Australia there is no such thing as alimony. In Australia there is spouse maintenance. Whether you would be required to pay spouse maintenance would depend first on your income after paying tax, supporting yourself and your daughter and any child support. Secondly it would depend on your wife's reasonable weekly needs and her income. If she is working and earning an income you probably won't be required to pay spouse maintenance.