Spousal support can be an extremely confusing area of divorce law, and there are many misconceptions about it. Contrary to popular belief, spousal support is not guaranteed to a wife, nor is it an entitlement for being married for a certain period of time. The truth is, no one is guaranteed spousal support regardless of how long they have been married, and spousal support can be paid to wives or husbands.
The purpose behind alimony is to allow a spouse with significantly less income to maintain a lifestyle similar to the one they enjoyed during the marriage. Spousal support is awarded on a case by case basis, and many factors are usually considered when a court decides whether, how much, and for how long alimony should be awarded.
Factors the court may consider include:
- The length of the marriage
- The needs of the spouse requesting alimony
- The ability of the supporting spouse to pay alimony, and
- The relative age, health, education, and work experience of both parties.
A spouse receiving alimony is generally expected to become self-sufficient at some point. However, a supported spouse who was a homemaker for the entirety of a long marriage may not be reasonably expected to become self-sufficient, and in these cases, spouses are sometimes awarded permanent alimony.
Typical situations that will cause spousal support to be terminated include: if the person receiving spousal support remarries, in the event of the death of one of the parties, or when the person receiving the support shares a home with a romantic partner.
It is also possible to modify spousal support payments upward or downward in the case that the income for either spouse is changed.
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This case was not handled by our firm. However, if you have any questions regarding this case, or any family matter, please contact Joseph Maya at 203-221-3100 or by email at JMaya@mayalaw.com.
If you have any questions or would like to speak to a divorce law attorney about a divorce or family law matter, please don’t hesitate to call our office at (203) 221-3100. We offer free divorce consultation as well as free consultation on all other familial matters. Divorce in CT is difficult, but education is power.