People in Massachusetts who are in need of financial assistance after a divorce are free to ask for it. While the alimony laws of the state are quite lenient, the court will require the applicant to justify the need. Alimony is allocated regardless of the applicant’s gender, and it is classified as general, transitional, rehabilitative or reimbursement. Such support can even be pursued after the date of the divorce if the need can be proved.
Several aspects are considered by the court to determine the need for alimony and the amount of the allocation. These include testimonies by each party and the length of the marriage, along with the health and age of each spouse. The court will also consider the applying spouse’s prospects to gain employment. If the spouse applying for alimony also receives child support, the court may take that amount into consideration when calculating the amount to award.
The court will further evaluate the particular need in their decision about the length of time the applicant will receive alimony. The award may be temporary to allow the spouse to find employment or until children reach a particular age. Also, it may be rehabilitative to enable the person to attend refresher courses before re-entering the job market after years of taking care of the household. Permanent alimony is sometimes allocated in deserving cases, and it will only cease upon the receiver’s death or remarriage.
A Massachusetts person who wants to pursue an application to the court for alimony may have questions about the way to proceed. An experienced divorce attorney can provide the necessary support and guidance while also explaining what documents to gather to establish the need for alimony. A lawyer can advocate on behalf on the client in all the legal proceedings that will follow.
Source: divorce.lovetoknow.com, “Massachusetts Alimony“, Audrey M. Jones, Accessed on Sept. 2, 2016