When a marriage breaks down, the courts will decide many issues during the divorce process. In addition to dividing your marital property or awarding child custody, the judge will also determine if spousal support is appropriate.
There are several different types of alimony in New Haven, including permanent, rehabilitative, and temporary. A dedicated spousal support attorney can help you get a fair outcome during an alimony hearing.
In Connecticut, courts award permanent alimony to provide long-term financial support after the breakdown of a marriage. While alimony orders in New Haven can take various forms, courts typically reserve permanent alimony for cases where one ex-partner is unlikely to achieve self-sufficiency due to age, health, or the length of the marriage. When deciding whether to grant permanent spousal support, the court considers several factors. These include the duration of the marriage, each person’s earning capacity, their health, age, and the contributions they made during the marriage.
Permanent alimony does not guarantee payments for life in every case. Courts have the authority to modify or terminate alimony if circumstances change, such as the receiving ex-partner remarrying or entering a supportive relationship. However, the goal of permanent alimony is to ensure continued stability when one person cannot reasonably maintain a standard of living without ongoing support.
While sparingly ordered, Courts may award this form of alimony after long-term marriages, especially when one person has been out of the workforce for an extended time or faces medical conditions that prevent meaningful employment. By ordering permanent alimony, the court seeks to ensure financial fairness and provide lasting security for the dependent ex-partner.
Unlike permanent spousal support, there are limitations on the duration of rehabilitative alimony. This type of New Haven spousal support exists to help an ex-partner just long enough for them to become self-supporting. This often means providing payments until they complete their education or achieve professional licensing that will allow them to earn a living, but can also mean providing payments until the children are out of the house or until another specific life event occurs
The courts evaluate several factors when determining if rehabilitative alimony is appropriate. Some examples include the length of the marriage and the needs of the parties.
Most spousal support cases involve providing financial support to an ex-partner after the court finalizes the divorce. However, in some situations, the court may require one partner to provide temporary alimony—or alimony pendente lite—which means they begin making payments during the divorce proceedings. Courts typically mandate these payments at the beginning of a divorce case upon motion by the party seeking alimony, and they remain in effect until a final decree is entered. The intent of this form of support is not only to provide for the lower-earning party as the case progresses but also to prevent the other spouse from delaying the process and using this financial disparity as leverage.
Temporary alimony ends once the judge issues a final divorce decree. While the final alimony order can differ significantly from the temporary one, some judges may opt to carry over the same terms. That is why it is important to make the strongest possible case during a hearing in New Haven for this type of alimony.
The outcome of a spousal support hearing can have a long-term impact on your financial stability. Given the high stakes, it is critical that you talk with an attorney who can help you get the best possible outcome. At Dolan Divorce Lawyers PLLC, we are ready to help. Reach out today to discuss the types of alimony in New Haven during a free private consultation.
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