A divorce can have an unfair financial effect on one or both spouses in Massachusetts and elsewhere. It is not uncommon for one spouse to give up his or her career in order to provide full-time care for the couple's children. In other cases, one spouse may have a much...
A Brighter Future Is Within Your Reach
Alimony
Planning ahead of divorce may affect alimony and child support
In many divorce cases in Massachusetts, one of the spouses may start considering leaving the marriage long before discussing it with the other spouse. While this is the ideal time to consider the financial consequences such as alimony and child support, emotions...
Massachusetts alimony reform causes some confusion
Alimony laws in Massachusetts were revised, and in 2012, a reformed alimony law became effective. This provided the basis for alimony calculations, along with determining when alimony should end. Alimony reform states that alimony payments will cease when the...
Alimony in Massachusetts divorce has many aspects to consider
It is not uncommon for couples who are considering divorce to have little or no knowledge of matters such as spousal support. If it is their first divorce, couples may have only the experiences of friends and family by which to go. However, the circumstances of every...
May my ex-spouse pay alimony in a lump sum rather than monthly?
Residents of Massachusetts who depend on alimony payments for survival may suffer anxiety because they are not always sure whether they will receive their monthly alimony payments. If your ex-spouse has the means to settle the alimony in a lump sum, it may benefit...
Alimony reform laws challenged in Massachusetts court
Massachusetts residents may be interested in a recent case that challenges the state's alimony reform statute of 2011. There are four alimony types under the new law, including general alimony that is based on the length of time the marriage lasted and rehabilitative...
Howard’s first wife leaves no spousal support for his second wife
Because the circumstances of every divorce are different, it would be wise for both spouses to obtain legal counsel before signing any agreements. Emotions may lead an individual to agree to spousal support when it may not be in his or her best interest. Obtaining the...
Stay-at-home same-sex spouse has questions about alimony
A partner in a same-sex couple who is considering divorce recently asked a question about alimony. She wanted to know whether she would be eligible, and if she was, for how long would she receive alimony from her spouse. Same-sex couples in Massachusetts may be...
Cohabitation can lead to termination of alimony
Years ago, divorce settlements often included alimony or spousal support, but when the Alimony Reform Act of 2011 was enacted everything changed. Now, the choice to award alimony to one spouse depends on the negotiation between divorcing individuals. The amount and...
Attorneys say more women are paying child support
Almost four decades ago, the Supreme Court made clear that there should be no gender bias in assigning spousal support. While only three percent of the 400,000 people who received spousal support in 2010 were men, experts believe that number will steadily...