Exploring Alimony In Divorce Agreements

Alimony, or spousal support, refers to payments from one former partner to another during or after a divorce to help sustain a reasonable standard of living and narrow financial disparities resulting from the separation. The duration, whether temporary or ongoing, depends on factors like the length of the marriage and each partner’s contributions, such as earnings or household duties. Alimony aims to ease financial strain for a lower-earning spouse. Courts assess each case individually to ensure equitable support arrangements.

Income gaps, personal requirements and fairness determine whether one spouse receives support in a divorce. In Maryland, equal rights laws permit either partner to provide or receive these payments, promoting fairness. Courts aim to address financial needs, ensuring stability for daily expenses or significant life changes. Alimony may be rehabilitative, supporting self-sufficiency or indefinite, for long-term needs.

When Is Alimony/Spousal Support Paid?

Alimony or spousal support is not an issue in every divorce, but it is a crucial issue for some. When one spouse has steady income and the other does not, or there is a significant disparity in the incomes of the parties, the two sides must either come to an agreement or have the court make that decision for them. At Reinstein, Glackin & Herriott, LLC, we assist clients in Annapolis in seeking an alimony agreement or decision that advances their best interests.

Under Maryland’s equal rights amendment, either spouse may be asked to pay alimony, up until the divorce as well as afterward. There are three kinds of alimony/spousal support in Maryland:

• Alimony pendente lite: This is an award of support for the period between filing for divorce until the issuance of the divorce decree.
• Indefinite alimony: This support is awarded without a predetermined end date and is typically granted when the recipient cannot make reasonable progress toward becoming self-supporting due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability, or if, even after becoming self-supporting, there is an unconscionable disparity in the standards of living between the parties.
• Rehabilitative alimony: This is the most common form of alimony payment. It is given for a limited time to help the person gain or improve skills or education needed to support themselves independently.

The attorneys at Reinstein, Glackin & Herriott, LLC, have successfully resolved many alimony/spousal support issues in divorce cases across the state of Maryland. Alimony/spousal support is a complex process that can’t be explained in a single page. We invite you to call our firm and describe your situation in detail. Chances are good that we can help put this problem to rest.

How Is Alimony Calculated In Maryland?

Alimony is based on factors outlined in the Maryland Family Law Code, Section 11-106. These factors include each spouse’s finances and needs, how long they were married, their lifestyle during the marriage, their age and health, whether the person asking for alimony can support themselves, and how long it will take them to get the education or training needed for a good job. Courts also weigh the paying spouse’s ability to meet their needs while providing support.

Judges will consider each spouse’s contributions to the marriage, both monetary and nonmonetary, such as homemaking or child-rearing. They will also consider the reasons for the estrangement between the parties and any existing agreements between the spouses regarding alimony. Courts also evaluate the tax implications and the receiving spouse’s efforts toward self-sufficiency.

Have A Spousal Support Or Maintenance Dispute In Need Of Resolution?

Contact the lawyers at Reinstein, Glackin & Herriott, LLC at our local office number: 301-850-7349.