My wife and I recently separated. We have one child and we have agreed on what would be a reasonable amount of child maintenance which i am happy to pay. what we cannot agree on is the amount of spousal maintenance and we seem to be getting conflicting legal advice which is not helping.
The conflict is around whether or not my wife should be entitled to maintain the same quality of life as when we were together. She has always worked but my income is higher so now that we have separated if I don't pay her maintenance beyond the child maintenance she would not be able to maintain the same quality of life as before.
She has completed her statement of means and included all the costs she was incurring when we were together. Things like expensive holidays, lavish entertainment etc. We were happy to do this at the time now things have changed and I think she needs to moderate her lifestyle. Also we have two investment properties and she has included 50% of the mortgage on these. This leaves a significant shortfall and her solicitor says I need to cover the deficit as a spousal maintenance. My solicitor says I have an obligation to my child and not to my separated wife.
So who is right here? My view is that I will always pay for my child and will be happy to do so but given my wife has always worked and not sacrificed her career I should not be obligated to pay for her champagne lifestyle, which she can now no longer afford. am I being unfair? How would a court be likely to act?
The conflict is around whether or not my wife should be entitled to maintain the same quality of life as when we were together. She has always worked but my income is higher so now that we have separated if I don't pay her maintenance beyond the child maintenance she would not be able to maintain the same quality of life as before.
She has completed her statement of means and included all the costs she was incurring when we were together. Things like expensive holidays, lavish entertainment etc. We were happy to do this at the time now things have changed and I think she needs to moderate her lifestyle. Also we have two investment properties and she has included 50% of the mortgage on these. This leaves a significant shortfall and her solicitor says I need to cover the deficit as a spousal maintenance. My solicitor says I have an obligation to my child and not to my separated wife.
So who is right here? My view is that I will always pay for my child and will be happy to do so but given my wife has always worked and not sacrificed her career I should not be obligated to pay for her champagne lifestyle, which she can now no longer afford. am I being unfair? How would a court be likely to act?