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Alimony/Maintenance/Spousal Support in Massachusetts
Alimony is payment made by one party to the other after the divorce, either by
court order or by mutual agreement. This type of post-divorce payment is also
sometimes referred to as maintenance. In Massachusetts, alimony is
generally
not paid in addition to child support. If the non-custodial
parent has sufficient income, the court may grant both alimony and
child support. Alimony for an extended period of time is usually only
granted in the case of "long-term" marriages. In Massachusetts, these are
defined as 20 years or more.
Alimony awards are less likely in
a short-term marriage, or where both parties have relatively equal incomes and
earning capacities. If alimony is awarded in the context of a short-term or
medium-term marriage, it is more likely to be time-limited. If the payor spouse
has a large and long-term child support payment to meet, an award of alimony to
the payee spouse while child support is being paid is less likely. Section 34. Upon divorce or upon a complaint in an action
brought at any time after a divorce, whether such a divorce has been adjudged in
this commonwealth or another jurisdiction, the court of the commonwealth,
provided there is personal jurisdiction over both parties, may make a judgment
for either of the parties to pay alimony to the other. In addition to or in lieu of a judgment to pay alimony, the
court may assign to either husband or wife all or any part of the estate of the
other, including but not limited to, all vested and nonvested benefits, rights
and funds accrued during the marriage and which shall include, but not be
limited to, retirement benefits, military retirement benefits if qualified under
and to the extent provided by federal law, pension, profit-sharing, annuity,
deferred compensation and insurance. In determining the amount of alimony, if
any, to be paid, or in fixing the nature and value of the property, if any, to
be so assigned, the court, after hearing the witnesses, if any, of each party: Factors: In fixing the nature and value of the property to be so
assigned, the court shall also consider the present and future needs of
the dependent children of the marriage. When the court makes an order for alimony on behalf of a
spouse, said court shall determine whether the obligor under such order has
health insurance or other health coverage available to him through an employer
or organization or has health insurance or other health coverage available to
him at reasonable cost that may be extended to cover the spouse for whom support
is ordered. When said court has determined that the obligor has such insurance
or coverage available to him, said court shall include in the support order a
requirement that the obligor do one of the following: exercise the option of
additional coverage in favor of the spouse, obtain coverage for the spouse, or
reimburse the spouse for the cost of health insurance. In no event shall the
order for alimony be reduced as a result of the obligor's cost for health
insurance coverage for the spouse.
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Massachusetts Divorce Forms
Self-Prepared
| Massachusetts Divorce | $59.00 |
| MA MSA | $39.00 |
| MA Divorce & MSA Combo (best value) | $89.00 |
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