If you are going through a divorce in Massachusetts and don’t think you can handle living alone due to the expenses involved, one of the options could be to seek out rehabilitative alimony. Rehabilitative alimony is designed to help people in your situation get the financial support they need for a defined period of time.
Rehabilitative alimony is used to support one spouse who it is believed will become economically self-sufficient in the future. For example, you may have stopped working to care for your children, but you’re able to reenter the workforce and get a job after your divorce and once your children go to elementary school.
How long do you need to be married to get rehabilitative alimony?
There is no defined length of time that you need to be married to get rehabilitative alimony. In fact, a judge can order that alimony even if you’ve been married only a few days. However, it’s less likely for someone to get alimony in a shorter marriage, so you will need a strong case if you want to get alimony despite not being married for long.
How long will rehabilitative alimony last?
Generally speaking, rehabilitative alimony usually lasts up to five years. It ends when the spouse no longer needs support, remarries or dies. Sometimes, there are also trigger events that will end alimony, and those may be specifically based on the factors involved in your divorce case.
Is it possible to extend rehabilitative alimony?
Yes. Sometimes, people aren’t able to get through schooling or find the right job as soon as they would have liked. If you’re receiving rehabilitative alimony and find yourself in that position, you may be able to have a judge extend the rehabilitative period, which will allow you to have the financial support you need for longer.
If you want to ask for alimony, it’s important that you make a strong case for it. For instance, show that you need time to build your career back up or focus on the length of time you’ll need to wait before going back to work full-time. Having these details ready will help you make it clear that the alimony is much needed in your life.
