Alimony / Spousal Support

An Opportunity to Meet Everyone’s Needs

Alimony or spousal support is a mechanism through which a spouse with greater financial resources supports a former spouse. It is also a very emotionally charged issue in divorce. Alimony can be categorized as: Temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, and durational. The payments can be paid on a monthly basis or paid in a lump sum amount.

Statutory changes took effect in 2023 that have made spousal support more formula driven. The relative net incomes of the parties are inserted into a formula that applies various factors set forth by statute, including need and ability. The length of the marriage will also affect the duration of any alimony award. Under the new statute, the payor spouse pays alimony with net tax dollars and does not receive a tax deduction for the alimony payments; the receiving spouse does not declare the alimony as income on their tax return any longer. Generally, the applicability of alimony is determined with the help of your attorney.