When a Marriage Ends, Will Alimony Be Awarded?
Alimony is a financial payment from one ex-spouse to another, intended to help support a spouse during the divorce, and for a period of time after a divorce.
Alimony awards — also called spousal support — are less common in contemporary divorce proceedings than they have been in the past. Nonetheless, the question of whether spousal support should be paid in a specific divorce case is an important one.
Whether you are the spouse who would pay spousal support or the spouse who would receive support, knowing whether or not spousal support will be part of your divorce agreement has a big impact on your financial planning.
If you are worried about whether you are entitled to alimony or whether spousal support will be part of your divorce agreement, get early legal advice from the experienced family law attorneys at Graham & Harsip, P.C.
Local Attorneys With More Than 35 Years of Legal Experience
Located in Acton, Massachusetts, the law firm of Graham & Harsip has served the communities in and around Acton for more than 25 years. Led by two lawyers with more than 35 years of experience, Graham & Harsip's family law practice is widely respected in the local legal community.
In addition to representing clients through divorce proceedings and other family law matters, senior attorney Barry S. Harsip regularly offers free seminars about divorce through local adult education programs.
Basic Information About Spousal Support in Massachusetts
Like all other terms of a divorce agreement, a spousal support award can be negotiated between spouses. If the parties cannot agree on a spousal support award, then the divorce must be finalized by a judge — who will determine whether or not spousal support should be awarded, and if support is awarded, the amount.
Unlike awards of child support, spousal support awards are based on several subjective factors. The mere fact of a large difference between the incomes of each spouse is rarely enough to justify an award of spousal support.
Some of the factors to be considered include, but are not limited to:
- The length of the marriage
- The amount and sources of income
- The work skills and employability of each spouse
- Assets held exclusively by either spouse
- The age, health and station of the parties
- The needs of each of the parties
- The opportunity of each party for future acquisition of capital assets and income
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation With Graham & Harsip
If you are considering divorce and have questions about alimony obligations, early legal advice can help ease your worries and give you realistic expectations.
Graham & Harsip offers a free 20-minute consultation to all new family law clients. To make an appointment, call 978-631-0146 or use our online contact form.
