Alimony is the payment of financial support from one spouse to the former spouse, for a specific period of time.  A judge may consider a number of factors when deciding if a spouse is entitled to spousal support.  Although this is not an exhaustive list, some factors that a judge may consider are:

  • Length of marriage;
  • Age of the spouse(s);
  • Occupations of the spouse(s);
  • Employability of the spouse(s);
  • Needs and liabilities of the spouse(s);
  • Opportunities available to the spouse(s); and
  • Contributions of the spouse(s) during the marriage.

Based on the facts of the marriage, if alimony is considered acceptable, a judge should award an amount to the receiving spouse that is fair and reasonable.

Are there Different Kinds of Alimony?

Yes.  There are four different types of alimony that can be awarded to a spouse:

  • General term alimony is spousal support that can be paid to a spouse who is financially dependent on the former spouse.  This type of alimony and the amount awarded can be dependent on the length of the marriage.
  • Rehabilitative alimony can be awarded to a spouse who should be able to support his or herself by a specific time (i.e. one year, two years, etc.).  This type of support can help the receiving spouse while he or she becomes financially dependent again.
  • Reimbursement alimony is defined as support that may be paid for a certain period of time or in a lump sum.  This may be applicable to a marriage that lasted no more than 5 years.  The purpose of this type of support is to help the receiving spouse recoup any costs he/she may have spent to help the paying spouse completion his or her education or job training.
  • Transitional alimony may be paid to a receiving spouse to help the receiving spouse settle into a new life.  This type of support may be applicable to marriages of no longer than 5 years and can help the receiving spouse with relocation and general expenses which resulted due to the end of the marriage.

If you are in need of an experienced family law attorney to help you with your child support matter, contact the Law Offices of Cynthia L. Hanley, P.C. to schedule your consultation.