Married couples, especially those with children, often have to make compromises for the shared family unit. For example, one spouse may need to leave the workforce when the couple has children or when they have other family obligations that require a lot of time and energy, like caring for elderly parents.
One spouse may agree to leave their job or to work only part-time to benefit the entire family. In some cases, that decision could come back to haunt them if they cannot support themselves when the marriage ends.
Both those filing for divorce and those responding to a spouse’s request for divorce sometimes request alimony payments as part of the process. Connecticut alimony involves one spouse making payments to the other after the end of a marriage. How long will alimony payments typically last after the end of a marriage?
There is no set formula for alimony
In some states, the duration of the marriage directly affects the duration of the alimony order. In Connecticut, the duration of the order and the amount someone pays both depend on the discretion of a judge. Unless the spouses set their own terms through mutual agreement, a judge applies state statutes to the family’s circumstances.
Many Connecticut alimony orders are temporary orders. They only exist to allow someone short-term financial support as they establish a separate household and re-enter the job market. Other times, someone may no longer have marketable skills. Judges may order rehabilitative alimony to support them as they restart their careers or pursue educational opportunities to enhance their earning potential.
In certain, relatively rare cases, a Connecticut family law judge could order one spouse to pay permanent alimony to the other. Judges can even require the spouse who pays alimony to obtain life insurance as a way of ensuring that the recipient spouse will receive financial support regardless of what happens to the spouse paying alimony.
Alimony orders usually either indicate that they are indefinite or set a specific duration for the payments. Sometimes, alimony payments end early due to the death of either spouse or the remarriage of the recipient spouse. Learning about the rules that apply to alimony obligations in Connecticut can help people better negotiate as they prepare for divorce. The divorce and family law attorneys at Suisman Shapiro can help.
