If my wife asked me to leave the house, am I responsible for paying for both households while we are separated?
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If my wife asked me to leave the house, am I responsible for paying for both households while we are separated?
My wife asked me to leave our home, which I did. I moved into my own place. Now she is asking me to pay all household bills but I have to pay mine too. Do I have to do this? We both work; she makes about 40 K a year; I am in real estate and my income varies between 40K and 60K a year.
Asked on March 13, 2011 under Family Law, South Carolina
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
May I suggest that you go and speak with an attorney in your area as soon as you possibly can? Generally speaking you are both responsible for the maintenance of marital assets and for paying marital debts. It sounds like your income is fairly equal and that you need to establish from the get go a monetary amount that you can pay that the law will look at as contributing to the maintenance of the house, etc. Courts do not necessarily take in to account your expenses for the other household. I know: it stinks. But the reality is that it is much more expensive to live apart than to live together (financially I mean). Get help. Good luck.
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