A request for alimony support can be made by either of the spouses during the divorce process. Unless the parties agree to alimony in their out-of-court settlement, it will be up to the divorce court to determine if the alimony award will be granted. It is important for the divorcing spouses to each be familiar with how alimony requests are addressed during divorce.
How requests for alimony are handled
Alimony, which is also sometimes referred to as spousal support, is a payment that is made by one former spouse to the other following their divorce for the support of the recipient spouse. The divorce court may require one spouse to make a payment to the other spouse for the recipient spouse’s maintenance. Spousal support, or alimony, may be awarded on a temporary basis or for a longer duration as outlined in the couple’s divorce judgment. It may also be terminated if the recipient spouse remarries.
Different factors are used to determine if alimony award will be made and for how much and long any alimony award that is granted will be. Factors that may be considered include the couple’s standard of living during their marriage; the length of the couple’s marriage; the income and assets of each of the spouses; and ages and work histories of each of the spouses; and the ability of each of the spouses to support themselves. Addition factors the family law court determines are relevant may also be considered.