How to determine alimony in Maryland

Even though a large number of marriages end in divorce, not all of them include alimony, which is a form of spousal support. In a typical alimony scenario, one of the former spouses will pay their ex-spouse periodically to help that spouse pay for bills and other necessities as he or she ‘rehabilitates’ back into the workforce. Alimony in Maryland can occur in one of two ways; either the couple comes to an agreement or a court issues the order.

The main purpose of alimony is to prevent inequitable financial effects to a former spouse who does not work or who makes significantly less money than the other spouse. Alimony can be awarded because one spouse left a career to make a home and raise children during the marriage or to simply help the spouse maintain the lifestyle he or she became accustomed to during the marriage.

The courts in Maryland use a variety of factors to determine how alimony will be awarded in a divorce case. This is much different from the statutory requirements most courts have to follow when awarding child support during a divorce.

Courts are to consider the following factors when determining alimony payments in Maryland:

– The standard of living by the couple during the marriage.

– The length of time needed for the alimony recipient to either obtain a job, learn new skills or return to school for a degree.

– The age, financial state, physical state and emotional state of both spouses.

– The ability of the spouse who will be paying alimony to make those payments and also continue to sustain him or herself.

– How long the marriage lasted.

Learn more about determining alimony in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and how you can acquire these payments in divorce.

Source: FindLaw, “Spousal Support (Alimony) Basics,” accessed March 28, 2017