According to Article 98 of the Bulgarian Family Code, a support for a ex spouse may be determined by the judge and paid from the other spouse, if there is a need for support and the ability to the other spouse to provide it. The need for support may arise from various circumstances such as lack of income, health problems, difficulties in finding work, etc.

Support may be provided for a specific period, for example, until the spouse finds a job or recovers from health issues but no more than 3 years after termination of the marriage.

The procedure for requesting support is initiated before the competent court, which determines the amount. This claim can be made either within the divorce proceedings or in separate proceedure after the divorce is finalized, considering limitation periods. The main condition is the spouse who is receiving the support not to be guilty for termination of the marriage.

If the spouses reach a divorce agreement, they may include the support in the agreement. In this case, the court does not assess the amount for the sppport and just approves the agreement if it does not contradict the law and does not violate the rights of the parties.

This article was created by Valova&Angelova law firm.