Additional Information:
I am getting a divorce. My husband makes more money than I do, will I be eligible for alimony and how is it determined in Massachusetts? Is the duration based on the number of years we were married or another factor?
ATTORNEY ANSWER:
As you may have read in the Boston newspapers or heard about from television or internet news sources, the Massachusetts Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, an Alimony Reform law that becomes effective March 1, 2012. Under the new law, the duration of alimony depends upon the length of the marriage. For example, in marriages lasting five years or less, divorce alimony is to continue no longer than half the length of the marriage; in marriages six to 10 years long, alimony is capped at 60 percent of the length of the marriage; if the duration of marriage is 15 years or less, but more than 10 years, general term alimony shall be no greater than 70 per cent of the length of the marriage; if the duration of marriage is 20 years or less, but more than 15 years, general term alimony shall be no greater than 80 per cent of the number of months of the marriage; and the court shall have discretion to order alimony for an indefinite length of time for marriages longer than 20 years. For divorces in which alimony has already been ordered, there is a schedule will be established by which parties to the alimony agreement may appeal for adjustment.
Boston South Shore Divorce and Alimony Attorney Bruce Watson represents individuals and divorcing couples from the Boston South Shore towns including Dedham, Milton, Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, Canton and Randolph.
