The Types of Spousal Support

There are 3 types of spousal support that are decreed by divorce courts. Spousal support is only demanded when there’s a marked difference in incomes between the spouses.  If the two have comparable salaries, there’s rarely a spousal support decree.  Partners in short term unions often do not get awarded spousal support. Long term marriages, those of 10 years or longer almost always result in spousal support decrees when there is a disparity in income earning capacity between partners.

Types of Spousal Support or Alimony

• Temporary Spousal Support
• Rehabilitative Spousal Support
• Permanent Spousal Support

Temporary Alimony

Pendente Lite is a form of temporary alimony that is paid to a spouse during the divorce proceedings, prior to the actual divorce decree being finalized.

Rehabilitative Alimony

This type of alimony is paid to a spouse to aide in rehabilitating them, preparing them for self-support.  A spouse with small children that needs to wait until they are in school for the day, may need to wait until then before he or she can find gameful employment.  Another reason, they may need rehabilitative alimony is due to their lack of education or work experience.  While receiving rehabilitative alimony they can seek more education or more job experience to improve their earning power.

Permanent Alimony

Permanent alimony is awarded to spouses of long-term marriages.  Long-term marriages are those that have lasted 10 or more years.  This type of spousal support ends when the spouse receiving the support dies or remarries.  In some instances remarriage does not cause the support to end.

Permanent Alimony Can Last Past Death

The paying spouse is often encouraged to include the ex-spouse in his or her will to prevent disruption of all funds upon their death.  There are circumstances which could affect the amount paid, such as the spouse receiving alimony getting a good income source.  In which case the alimony would lower or even end.  If the receiving spouse should be ill or need more income for a legitimate reason, the payor may be asked to increase their payments.

Alimony is defined in Merriam Webster’s dictionary as an allowance paid to a person by that person’s spouse or former spouse for maintenance, granted by a court upon a legal separation or divorce or while action is pending. It is only to supply the financial support needed as a means of living.  In some cases the style of living is also considered, especially when the spouse was married to a person of significant means.  In such instances a large sum of money will be paid in alimony to sustain the spouse’s former quality of life.  This is especially true of person’s who have been married for decades and sometimes applies to person’s married for less than 10 years.

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