In a recent advice column, a question was posed regarding certain issues that arise during divorce. The man asking the question had concerns about his impending divorce from his wife; namely, he wanted to know if alimony still existed in Alabama or elsewhere. Apparently, the man was divorcing after more than a decade of marriage and his soon-to-be former wife expressed her intent to request alimony payments from him.
The published response to the man’s question informed him that alimony does, indeed, still exist. The man was also advised to hire a competent divorce lawyer. According to the information provided in the article, when a marriage has lasted beyond 10 years, issues such as retirement benefits sometimes become subject to asset distribution in divorce. Additionally, alimony is sometimes mandated by the court as a means of balancing the incomes of both spouses.
One assertion mentioned suggested that when a high level of child support payments exist in a divorce settlement, the amount of alimony tends to be lessened. There are typically three types of alimony available to the court’s discretion. Alimony paid in gross, periodic alimony and rehabilitative alimony are each awarded according to the specific dynamics and economic situations of individual cases. Periodic alimony continues until the receiver dies or remarries, while rehabilitative and gross payable alimony are stipulated for certain amounts of time.
There are family law professionals available in Alabama who are experienced in negotiating divorce cases involving alimony. Seeking consultation before entering court proceedings would be a means to ensure that one’s rights are protected insofar as requests for alimony are concerned. Those interested in working toward a fair and amicable settlement may want to consider this as an option.
Source: courierjournal.net, “Do courts still award alimony?“, Thomas McCutcheon Name, June 16, 2015
