Alimony may be one of the things one of the spouses ask for during a divorce. For that reason it is helpful for divorcing spouses to know what is considered when a request for alimony has been made during their divorce.
How alimony requests are decided
Alimony can be an emotionally charged concern during divorce. Once one spouse has requested alimony, several factors are evaluated when determining whether or not the request will be granted including:
- The standard of living established by the couple during the marriage;
- The duration of the marriage between the couple;
- The ages and physical and emotional conditions of the spouses;
- The financial resources of each of the spouses;
- When applicable, the time needed for either spouse to acquire sufficient education or training to allow them to secure appropriate employment;
- The contributions of each of the spouses to the marriage which can include, but is not limited to, homemaking and childcare services;
- The contributions of either of the spouses to the education or career building of the other spouse;
- The financial condition of each of the spouses, including separate property, earning capacities and their fixed liabilities; and
- Any other relevant factors the divorce court considers appropriate to consider in order to achieve an equitable outcome.
Divorces can be complicated and one spouse asking for another to make payments to them following their divorce can be one of the more challenging divorce-related issues to navigate. Because of its significance, it is essential for both spouses to understand how alimony awards are arrived at.
