Alimony

Alimony Laws in Massachusetts

Laws related to alimony, also called spousal support, have changed over the years to reflect social changes in the wider culture. Women, even stay-at-home moms, no longer receive alimony automatically. Men with a smaller income than their wives may receive alimony. At the Boston law firm of Taylor, Ganson & Perrin, LLP, our attorneys represent both men and women in alimony matters. We have been helping people with domestic relations issues such as this since 1935. To speak with one of our experienced lawyers, contact us.

A number of considerations are involved in the calculation of alimony, including:

• Incomes and needs of both parties
• Length of the marriage
• How long a non-working or dependant spouse has been out of the workforce
• Whether a spouse working part time is likely to find full time employment
• Educational levels of the parties
• Ages of children and the custody arrangements that have been ordered
• Maintaining a certain standard of living
• Whether one spouse postponed education or advancement to further the goals of the other spouse

Calculating and awarding alimony is more complex than in past years.

Because every situation is different, our lawyers seek to develop alimony proposals that are tailored to the specific circumstances of our clients. In some cases, a lump sum payment may be the best option; this can allow a non-working or underemployed spouse to obtain rehabilitative support, such as training or education that will allow him or her to find full time employment at an appropriate level. In other cases, depending on the tax considerations, our client may elect to forego alimony in lieu of a more substantial property settlement. In still other circumstances, a regular payment for an unlimited or pre-determined time period may be the most appropriate alternative.

Our lawyers at Taylor, Ganson & Perrin, LLP, work with clients to develop alimony proposals that meet their needs and fit their specific situations. To learn how we help clients in this area of domestic relations law, contact our Boston law firm.