Your future may look much different once you and your spouse decide to part ways, and if you were not the primary breadwinner, you may have concerns about how to support yourself without your spouse. You may be wondering what the likelihood is of you being able to secure alimony in your divorce. If you do get it, you may wonder how much money you should expect to receive.
According to NJ.com, there is no set formula in the state that determines whether one party involved in the divorce must pay the other after the marriage dissolves. Instead, the state may use a set of 14 factors to determine whether you should receive alimony.
Alimony evaluation standards
When deciding whether to award you alimony in your divorce, the state may consider the standard of living you grew accustomed to during your marriage and what it might take for you to maintain it. You and your ex’s earnings during the marriage may also come into play.
If you sacrificed your own professional development or career so that your spouse could pursue his or hers, you may have a better chance at receiving alimony. This may be particularly true if you took on the vast majority of childcare duties or housekeeping responsibilities so your partner could further his or her career.
Alimony durational standards
There is also no all-encompassing formula that determines how long you may receive alimony if awarded it. However, you should not expect to receive it for the rest of your life. You may stop receiving it once you reach the mandatory retirement age, for example. Remarrying also terminates existing alimony obligations. More about managing finances after a divorce is available on our webpage.