Oftentimes, when a couple gets divorced, the financially dependent spouse is left wondering how he or she will retain his or her standard of living. If there are children involved, this situation can become even more worrisome. Fortunately, with the help of an experienced New Jersey alimony attorney, you can rest assured you are being taken care of. Our firm is here to help. Here are some of the questions you may have regarding alimony in the state of New Jersey:
Are there different types of alimony?
There are various types of alimony available to dependent spouses in New Jersey. Though permanent alimony is no longer available, there are several alternatives. They are as follows:
- Open durational alimony: This type of alimony is for financially dependent spouses who have been married for more than 20 years. If you are granted open durational alimony, the judge will order for you to receive alimony payments for an indeterminate period of time. Generally, the only factors that may cause this type of alimony to end are remarriage or cohabitation, or receiving/earning a sum of money that eliminates the need for financial support.
- Limited duration alimony: This is for dependent spouses who have been married for less than 20 years. If a judge determines you require alimony payments, despite the length of your marriage, he or she will grant you alimony for a specified period of time.
- Reimbursement alimony: This type of alimony is for spouses who paid for the dependent spouse’s schooling, training, or another program before the divorce. If the spouse needs reimbursement, he or she may receive it through this type of alimony.
- Rehabilitative alimony: If you are a spouse who forewent your career goals to support your spouse’s career before the divorce, you may receive rehabilitative alimony to help you undergo any retraining or reeducation you need to resume your career.
What influences how much alimony I receive?
Several different factors contribute to the amount of alimony a dependent spouse can receive. Some of these factors include child custody agreements, the health and age of both spouses, the tax consequences an alimony award may have, the duration of the marriage, and the standard of living established by the marriage.
Contact our experienced Bergen County firm
At Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients to understand and protect their legal rights before, during, and after the divorce process in towns across New Jersey and Bergen County, including Hackensack, Ridgewood, Paramus, Teaneck, and Fort Lee.
To speak with our team of divorce lawyers today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your concerns about moving out of your marital home during your divorce, please contact us online, or through our Hackensack, NJ office at (201) 397-1750.
