New Jersey law does not guarantee alimony in every divorce case. Alimony is generally used when one spouse needs financial support and had come to rely on that support during the marriage. The goal is often to help that person avoid financial hardship, at least until they are able to become more financially independent.
For example, one spouse may have been a stay-at-home parent who stepped away from the workforce because their partner had a high-income career. After the divorce, it can take time for that person to re-enter the workforce and earn a stable income on their own. Temporary alimony payments may be ordered during this transition.
The amount and the duration
Two of the key issues the court must determine are how much will be paid in alimony and how long those payments will continue. When making these decisions, courts may consider factors such as:
- Each person’s standard of living
- Each party’s living expenses and current income
- The duration of the marriage
- The earning capacity of both former spouses
- Each person’s age and health
- The employability, education and job skills of each spouse
- The presence of minor children and the parental responsibilities involved
This means that every divorce case is unique. Alimony rulings are not automatically the same from one case to another, so carefully reviewing these details is an important part of the process.
Seeking alimony payments — or determining how much you may be required to pay — is just one part of ending a marriage. It helps to have an experienced family law attorney while navigating the divorce process.