ALIMONY ATTORNEYS

The court may order either of the parties to pay alimony to the other. There are no alimony guidelines in Connecticut. Instead, in deciding whether to award alimony and the amount and duration of the award, the court must consider the length of the marriage, the causes of the dissolution of marriage or legal separation, the age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, vocational skills, employability, estate, and needs of each of the parties and any property award which the court may make. In addition, where a parent has been awarded custody of minor children, the court must consider the desirability of that parent securing employment. 

The court has the discretion to decide the weight it will give those factors. In a given case, it can determine that a spouse’s poor health is the most important factor. In a different case, it may properly conclude that a spouse’s income is most important. 

Alimony is generally subject to modification by the court if financial circumstances substantially change unless the award, when entered, was made non-modifiable. Alimony is also subject to modification if the recipient lives with another person and the recipient’s finances have changed. The spouses can agree to make alimony not subject to modification, or to limit the circumstances which would give rise to modification. If, however, alimony is not provided for at the time of the divorce, it cannot be awarded or modified at a later time. Depending on the circumstances of your case, it may be wise or foolish to bargain for or against modifiable alimony. Discuss this with your lawyer.