Alimony [ Spousal Support ]

Alimony [ Spousal Support ]
Alimony, or spousal support, is money that a judge orders one spouse to pay the other in the event of a divorce for the purpose of supporting the recipient spouse. In Massachusetts, a judge will order alimony if one of the spouses is in need of support and if the payor spouse has the ability to pay it.

It does not matter who filed for divorce, alimony will only go to whichever spouse needs the support. There are 4 types of alimony that can be ordered:

• General Term Alimony: “for a spouse who is economically dependent.”
• Rehabilitative Alimony: “to support a spouse until they can support themselves financially.”
• Reimbursement Alimony: “to pay a spouse back for contributing to the financial well-being of the payor spouse.”
• Transitional Alimony: “to help a spouse adjust to a lifestyle that divorce has changed.”

Things that will determine the type and the conditions of the alimony you give/receive include: the length of the marriage, how long the alimony will last, what can end the alimony, if it can be changed, the income of each party, the health of each party, etc. With so many determinants, hiring a family law attorney is essential for cases where alimony may be a consideration.

For more information on representation regarding alimony, or to schedule a free consultation, please contact us by phone 978-637-2048 or email office@heralawgroup.com.