Fair support,
financial stability

Alimony depends on what the couple did during the marriage. Courts look at the marital standard of living, whether one spouse earned significantly less, and whether a spouse stayed home or sacrificed work experience to care for children. Long-term marriages (10+ years) where one spouse paused their career typically result in stronger alimony claims. Short-term marriages may result in little or no alimony.

Courts first determine the recipient spouse's financial need based on marital expenses, then review that spouse's ability to earn, which may be imputed at minimum wage if they've been out of the workforce. Next, the court looks at the payor's ability to pay after covering their own reasonable monthly needs. If there isn't enough money to maintain both households at the prior standard, the court tries to put both spouses on as equal footing as possible.

Yes. Alimony can never exceed the length of the marriage, but it may be shorter. Long-term marriages often lead to alimony lasting the full length of the marriage. In other cases — especially where the recipient spouse has education, work experience, or is young enough to re-enter the workforce — the court may award rehabilitative alimony lasting fewer years, often decreasing in steps over time. Alimony ends upon the death, remarriage, or cohabitation of the recipient.

Yes. Alimony can be modified, but only if a spouse files a petition to modify and shows a substantial change in circumstances not anticipated at the time of divorce. Automatic changes occur upon death, remarriage, or cohabitation. Other modifications — like reducing payments due to the recipient's significant increase in income or major changes to either spouse's financial circumstances — require court approval.

The recipient does not pay tax on the alimony they receive. The payor pays taxes on their own income and alimony is calculated using their net monthly income. Child support is also non-taxable to the recipient.