How is alimony structured?

Marital issues, including alimony, need to be decided on during a divorce. Based on the length of the marriage, the alimony payments will follow a specific structure. This structure can include varying amounts of payments over a specific period of time. The longer the marriage, usually the more the dependent party is entitled to. The couple’s arrangement can be changed for this marital issues as it can be changed for others as well. Dependent spouses may need alimony to support themselves after their marriage is over. They may have taken on a role in marriage that caused them to be in the home with the children or doing other tasks that did not bring in a significant income. This can mean that they cannot support themselves once they are no longer married to their spouse. There are a few different structures for alimony payments.

General term alimony is what is used for most couples. This form of alimony includes a wide range of marriages with different lengths. Depending on the length of the marriage, the specific payments will be made. There is no specific time frame for when these payments should stop being made. This form of payment is for married couples who have been together for longer periods of time. They should have had a marriage that lasted over 20 years to qualify for this type of alimony. For this category, modifications can be made during the open durational alimony to adjust the payment amounts or when they are due.

For rehabilitative alimony, it is designed to support dependent parties who have delayed their career goals. The purpose of doing this was to support their spouse’s success during the marriage and for the benefit of the family. This form of payment requires funds to pay for schooling or vocational training so that the dependent party has the opportunity to increase their earning capacity. Reimbursement alimony is a structure of support that includes payments to reimburse a spouse for financially supporting the family during the marriage. This could have been due to their spouse’s pursuit of an education or some kind of vocational training.

Can alimony be modified later on?

Since situations can change and new circumstances arise, alimony payments may be changed or stopped later on. These payments can change due to a variety of factors. This can include unemployment, remarriage, cohabitation, death and more.

If you require compassionate and knowledgeable legal guidance for a matter of divorce, family or estate law, please contact the experienced attorneys at the Law Offices of Cynthia L. Hanley today. Our firm proudly serves clients in Mansfield, Massachusetts and throughout Bristol County.