How Alimony is Awarded

When awarding alimony, the court will determine the financial need of one spouse and ability of the other to pay. A variety of factors are considered, including the length of the marriage and the assets owned by each spouse. A spouse is more likely to be awarded alimony following a long marriage.

The factors considered in determining alimony include:

• The standard of living during the marriage
• The age and health of each spouse
• Each spouse’s income
• Future income opportunities
• Services one spouse provided as a homemaker
• Conduct contributing to the marital breakdown

A judge may award temporary alimony during the divorce process and determine temporary or permanent alimony when the divorce is finalized. In most situations, alimony is temporary and set for a specific amount of time. Permanent alimony is rare but may be awarded for older spouses who raised children and cared for the home for many years in long marriages.