Albany Spousal Support & Alimony Lawyer

Serving Clients Throughout Upstate New York

Financial support between spouses is often one of the most sensitive and vital issues in a separation or divorce. Your economic security can be significantly impacted, whether you are seeking or contesting this support.

At Andrew H. Wood, Esq., PLLC, Attorney Wood is a legal veteran who has served clients in and around Albany since 2006. As an alimony attorney, he can guide you through every aspect of spousal support and maintenance (known as alimony) with clarity, compassion, and a focus on securing a fair outcome for your future. 

When you work with our alimony attorney in Albany, we take the time to understand how support fits into the larger picture of your life, including housing, retirement, and your long-term plans after the divorce. We explain how New York’s maintenance laws apply to your situation, walk you through realistic ranges for payments and duration, and prepare you for how judges in Albany County Supreme Court often approach these cases. By setting clear expectations from the outset, we help reduce anxiety and enable you to make informed decisions rather than reacting under pressure.

We also recognize that spousal support is rarely just about numbers. It is tied to years of sacrifice, shared goals, and changes in earning power over the course of a marriage. Our team listens carefully to your concerns about staying in the marital home, returning to school, or re-entering the workforce, and then we build a strategy around those priorities. Whether you are the spouse requesting maintenance or the spouse concerned about a potential support order, we work to protect your financial stability while keeping conflict as manageable as possible.

Contact us online or at (518) 712-6685 for a confidential consultation with our Albany spousal support and alimony attorney.

Understanding Spousal Support vs. Spousal Maintenance in New York

While many still use the term "alimony," New York law officially uses different language depending on the stage of the legal process.

• Spousal support refers to financial payments made while a couple is still legally married, often during a separation or a pending divorce. 
• Spousal maintenance applies once the divorce has been finalized.

It can be confusing to sort through these terms, especially when you are already dealing with the stress of a separation. In Albany and throughout Upstate New York, courts apply the same statewide statutes, but local judges may have preferences about how temporary support is presented or documented. We help you gather pay stubs, tax returns, and monthly expense information so that any request for support, or any response to a request, is supported by clear financial records rather than guesswork. This preparation often shapes early negotiations and can influence how the court views credibility if a hearing becomes necessary.

Understanding the difference between support during the case and maintenance after the divorce also helps you plan. For example, temporary payments ordered while your case is pending may be higher or lower than what is ultimately ordered in the final judgment. We discuss with you how long a typical case in the Albany area might take, what that means for your cash flow, and how a final maintenance order could change your budget going forward. By approaching these decisions with a clear plan and accurate information, you are better positioned to protect your income and work toward a sustainable resolution.

How We Approach Alimony Cases in Albany

Every marriage has its own financial story, so we do not treat spousal support cases as one-size-fits-all. When you meet with our team, we start by mapping out your income, monthly expenses, and future goals, then compare that picture against what New York’s maintenance guidelines suggest. We look closely at details such as bonuses, overtime, and self-employment income, which can be especially important in the Capital Region, where many people work for state agencies, local hospitals, or small businesses with variable pay. This thorough review helps us identify where a guideline amount may be appropriate and where there is room to argue for an adjustment.

From there, we work with you to decide whether to pursue a negotiated settlement or move more quickly toward court involvement. Some clients prefer to resolve support as part of a global divorce agreement that also covers property division and parenting arrangements, while others need an earlier request for temporary maintenance to stay afloat during the case. As a spousal support attorney in Albany, we explain the pros and cons of each route, including cost, timing, and how much control you keep over the outcome. You stay involved in every major decision so the strategy always reflects your comfort level and priorities.

Throughout the process, we pay close attention to documentation and communication. We help you gather and organize financial records, respond to information requests from the other side, and keep track of any voluntary payments already being made. Clear documentation is essential if your case is heard in Albany County Supreme Court, and it also provides a solid foundation for settlement discussions. By approaching your case with this level of organization and care, we aim to put you in the strongest position possible, whether you are seeking support or responding to a claim for maintenance.