Alimony why

What if I don't ask for alimony during the divorce, but later I decide I need it? What do I do if my spouse wants alimony but I don't think I can pay, or I don't think he or she needs financial support from me?

Can men ask for alimony? Either spouse can ask the court to award alimony. How long can I receive alimony? You and your spouse can agree to include the length of your alimony arrangement in the court order.

If you do not agree, the judge will decide what is appropriate for your situation. Indefinite alimony or permanent alimony lasts until either spouse dies or until the court determines that alimony is no longer appropriate. Time-limited alimony also called rehabilitative alimony lasts for a limited time, as determined by the judge for example, to allow the receiving spouse to obtain work experience or training necessary to become self-supporting.

What if I am receiving alimony and I get remarried? What if my spouse agrees to pay me alimony? Parties may agree to any alimony arrangement that they wish without having to have the judge decide the issue. The parties' agreement should be reflected in the court order.

If there is not a written agreement or a court order, your spouse can stop paying alimony at any time. What if my spouse disagrees with me about alimony?

The law states that those factors include: Your ability to support yourself; Time necessary for you to get a job or get training so you can become employed; The standard of living established during the marriage; Length of the marriage; Circumstances leading to the separation; Each party's age; Physical and mental condition of each party; Ability of the spouse paying alimony to support him or herself while making payments; Financial needs and resources of each party, including income, income from assets, potential income, previous awards of child support, financial obligations of each party, rights of each part to receive retirement benefits, and taxability or non-taxability of income.

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Child Custody Child Support. Alimony Divorce and Property. Market Your Law Firm. Lawyer Directory. Call us at 1 Find out what a judge considers when determining the appropriate amount of alimony one spouse must pay to the other.

Basically, in setting the amount of alimony to be paid, courts look at: how much money each person could reasonably earn every month what the reasonable expenses are going to be for each of them, and whether an alimony award from one to the other would make it possible for each to go forward with a lifestyle somewhat close to what the couple had before they split—known in divorce law as "the standard of living established during the marriage.

Personal Finance. Your Practice. Popular Courses. Part Of. How the Process Works. Dividing the Property. Divorce and Your Children. Divorce and Retirement. Post-Divorce Finances. Legal Terminology A-E. Legal Terminology F-Z. What Is Alimony? Key Takeaways Alimony refers to a periodic predetermined sum awarded to a spouse or former spouse following a separation or divorce.

The goal of alimony is to provide spousal support so they can continue living the lifestyle to which they had been accustomed after the divorce. Alimony will often be awarded to ex-spouses of long-term marriages for example, more than 10 years and will stop upon death, remarriage, or court order. Refusing to pay—or not keeping up to date with—alimony payments may result in civil or criminal charges for the payer. Article Sources. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work.

These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. The judge must decide that the a different order is necessary. He or she must write the reasons for the differences into the order. The judge can order a different amount, a different time, or both, for the following reasons:.

See General Laws Chapter , section 53 e. You have the right to an interpreter. You may be able to get free legal help from your local legal aid program. Or email a question about your own legal problem to a lawyer. How do judges decide about alimony? Show Endnotes Hide Endnotes.