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Alimony, also known as spousal support, is an arrangement in which an ex-spouse pays a stipend to his or her former partner following a separation or divorce. A temporary order of support may be given to help one spouse meet their financial obligations during the divorce process. However, in many cases, that order can become a permanent aspect of the divorce settlement.

Why & How Spousal Support is Established

Why Do Family Law Courts Award Alimony?

During a marriage, each spouse contributes to maintaining the household and the family’s well-being. When divorce occurs, one spouse may not have the financial assets or work experience to rebuild his or her life, especially if he or she was mostly responsible for stay-at-home duties.

Alimony seeks to compensate a spouse for those contributions by establishing payments to be made from the other spouse. This may mean, for example,  splitting the $100,000 one spouse earned per year with the other partner.

How Are Payments Calculated? 

AlimonyJudges have more discretion in determining spousal support payments than in establishing child support. However, they follow the statutory criteria, which cover several factors:

  • The age and education of both parties
  • Physical and emotional health of each spouse
  • Financial status of each spouse
  • The need for spousal support
  • Standard of living enjoyed by both spouses during the marriage
  • Length of time the couple had been married
  • Ability of the other spouse to make support payments
  • Ability to earn and/or acquire assets for each party
  • Cause of the breakdown of the marriage
  • Contribution to the acquisition, preservation, or appreciation of the marital estate

How Long Must Payments Continue?

The court order for spousal support may or may not set an end date for payments or modification of the payments. If no end date is listed, the paying spouse will have to file a to motion with the court to modify or terminate spousal support. 

Depending on the terms of the support order, payments may also end if the payee remarries. In that case, the new spouse will take up the responsibilities of providing for the receiver of spousal support. If the paying spouse dies, a life insurance policy will likely be used to continue the spousal support payments.

 

Alimony is a complex issue that you must fully understand, whether you’re paying or receiving the support. The Law Office and Mediation Center of Jeannine M. Talbot in Torrington, CT, is familiar with how spousal support is handled in Connecticut courts. To learn more about the family law services Attorney Jeannine provides, visit the firm’s website or call (860) 482-9004.

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