In some divorce cases, though not all, one party may be awarded spousal support. Alimony payments, also referred to as spousal support, will be different in every situation, as certain factors are used to determine the support amount and duration of payments. The state of Massachusetts actually recognizes four types of alimony. Information about the different types of alimony will be the focus of this week’s article.
The first type of alimony that will be discussed is called general term alimony. This is support that is paid in regular intervals to an ex-spouse who was and remains financially dependent on his or her former husband or wife. This support can be ordered for a lifetime, or it can be ordered as a temporary arrangement.
The second type of alimony recognized by the state is called rehabilitative alimony. This is support that is paid for a specific timeframe. During that time, the receiving party is to be working on becoming financially self-sufficient.
The third type of support is call reimbursement alimony. This support is either paid in regular intervals or in a lump sum. It is meant to pay back the receiving party for any funds he or she supplied to the paying party for education or job training during the marriage.
Finally, the last type of support that will be discussed is called transitional alimony. Again, this is support that can be paid in regular intervals for up to five years or as a lump sum. It is meant to assist the receiving spouse in becoming settled in his or her post-divorce life.
In Massachusetts, alimony is awarded under very specific circumstances. An experienced family law attorney can answer any questions one may have about this topic. With the right help those who believe they qualify for alimony can take the steps necessary to seek to have it included as part of their divorce settlements.
Source: mass.gov, “Alimony”, Accessed on Dec. 29, 2016
