Spousal Support and Alimony Lawyers
Massachusetts has a spousal support statute, (G.L.C. 208 section 34) setting forth several factors that the court must consider in determining the amount and duration of spousal support.
The court considers the following factors in determining a support award:
- The length of the marriage
- The conduct of the parties during the marriage
- Age
- Health
- Occupation
- Amount and sources of income
- Vocational skills and employability
- Estate, liabilities
- Needs of each of the parties and the opportunity of each for future acquisition of capital assets and income.
Unlike child support, there are no guidelines or formulas as to how the court should award spousal support. Spousal support cases are by nature very individual and often unpredictable. In a long marriage or one in which one spouse sacrificed a career to stay home with children, spousal support might be the most difficult issue to resolve after parenting concerns.
The court will also consider how best to maintain health insurance for a both spouses after the divorce.
Contact Us For a Confidential Consultation:
Contact our North Andover law firm if you have questions about spousal support or alimony and would like to consult with an experienced family law attorney.
The law firm of Berid & Schutzbank serves clients throughout Middlesex County, Essex County, Worcester County, and the Merrimack Valley region including Andover, Billerica, Burlington, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Georgetown, Haverhill, Ipswitch, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, Middleton, Newburyport, North Andover, North Reading, Tewksbury, and Wilmington, Massachusetts.