July 25, 2012 (Press-News.org) Until recently, the prospect of alimony in Massachusetts was filled with uncertainty for spouses in a divorce. Courts had significant latitude to order lifetime alimony, even after short marriages. Going to court to overturn alimony in a divorce could be a gamble.
Sparked in part by a Massachusetts man who spent more than $250,000 and entered bankruptcy after a judge refused to reduce his $45,000-a-year alimony payments, a task force of family law attorneys, legislators and others created a proposal for the most dramatic and fundamental changes to the state's divorce and spousal support laws in decades.
On March 1, 2012, the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Act took effect. By imposing limits on the amount of time a court may order spousal support, the legislation largely abolishes lifetime alimony. It creates a formula for determining limits to alimony for shorter marriages and provides for several types of spousal maintenance that could benefit spouses after the termination of a relatively short marriage.
General Term Alimony
This type of alimony may be granted to a spouse who is financially dependent on the other. Previously, general term alimony could be ordered for an indefinite length of time. Under the Alimony Reform Act, general term alimony payments will end if the recipient spouse remarries or moves in with a significant other. Payments may also end when the paying spouse retires.
In addition, the Alimony Reform Act provides a formula for the amount of time general term alimony may be ordered, based on the length of the marriage. For example, in the dissolution of a five-year marriage, a court could order alimony for 2.5 years. In the dissolution of a 15-year marriage, a court could order alimony for 10.5 years. Judges may still order indefinite alimony for marriages of 20 years or longer.
Other Types of Alimony
While the new law provides limits on the length of general term alimony -- especially for short marriages -- it also provides for several other types of alimony that may benefit spouses after short marriages. Judges may order:
- Reimbursement alimony when a spouse married for five or fewer years has contributed to the other spouse's financial resources, such as by helping a spouse through graduate or professional school. The spouse may receive one or more payments as compensation for this financial contribution.
- Transitional alimony when a spouse who has been married for five or fewer years needs financial compensation to transition to a different lifestyle or a new location. These spouses may receive one or more payments during the three-year period after the divorce.
- Rehabilitative alimony when a spouse is financially dependent, but may become economically self-sufficient within a certain period of time. It may be granted for up to five years.
The new alimony law is designed to provide clear guidelines for the duration and type of alimony in divorce. Courts, however, retain discretion to deviate from the guidelines under certain circumstances. If you are involved in divorce proceedings, your alimony agreement may depend significantly on your individual case and the judge hearing it.
An experienced family law attorney will be able to advise you about your situation. At the Massachusetts Family Law Group, our attorneys practice throughout the state and can help you understand the new alimony law.
Article provided by The Massachusetts Family Law Group
Visit us at www.thebostondivorcelawyer.com
New Massachusetts Alimony Law Makes Divorce Less of a Gamble
Until recently, alimony in Massachusetts was filled with uncertainty for spouses in a divorce. Courts had significant latitude to order lifetime alimony, even after short marriages. Going to court to overturn alimony in a divorce could be a gamble. That has changed with the implementation of the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Act of 2012.
2012-07-25
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study: Connecticut Women Less Likely to Violate Cellphone Ban
2012-07-25
A recent study of Connecticut drivers has disproven the old myth that women can't stop talking on the phone. Since the law banning hand-held cellphones went into effect six years ago, men have consistently been ticketed more often than women for talking on hand-held cellphones or texting while driving.
The study, conducted by the Associated Press, found that, of the total number of drivers ticketed for distracted driving in 2006, between 52 and 54 percent were men. In 2011 alone, men received nearly 16,000 tickets while women got only 13,690; in 2010, the tally of tickets ...
Recent Crane Incidents in Texas Give Rise to Safety Questions
2012-07-25
Construction of the 420,000 square-foot Paragon Outlet Mall in Grand Prairie, Texas, is set to open late this summer - a boon for the city of Grand Prairie - but in 2011 it was the site of a fatal accident involving a crane and falling wall panels. The victim, Sean Taylor, was a master welder who once served in the U.S. Navy, and was part of the construction crew erecting the walls, when the crane caused a deadly chain reaction.
Rob Crain is representing the Taylor family in a wrongful death claim. As Chris Hawes reports for WFAA-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth, Crain said, ...
Decatur Clients Succeed from Aggressive Defense
2012-07-25
Kalamazoo based criminal defense law firm Aggressive Criminal Defense Law Firm- a division of Willis Law achieves, yet again, for another of their clients.
Initially, their client faced a marijuana possession charge in the Van Buren County. With the help of aggressive criminal defense the client's charge was dismissed.
Marijuana possession is a serious crime taken by the Aggressive Criminal Defense Law Firm. A misdemeanor for marijuana possession can prevent people from getting a job or career.
Their client, a juvenile, was in a necessary position to get the ...
Airberlin's Frequent Flyers Earn Extra Miles with Choice Hotels
2012-07-25
Choice Hotels Europe, the company behind the Comfort, Quality and Clarion brands in Europe and part of Choice Hotels International, one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors in the world, has launched a promotion enabling members of topbonus, airberlin's worldwide frequent flyer programme, to earn double miles when they stay at participating Choice Hotels properties.
Until September 19, 2012, topbonus members who present their topbonus card when checking-in will earn double topbonus award miles with every qualifying stay at all participating Choice Hotels ...
British Airways Launches Cashback Campaign
2012-07-25
British Airways will be rewarding customers who stay in the UK to cheer on Team GB and Paralympics GB. The cashback rewards on holidays are for travel after the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and in line with specific athlete wins.
British Airways will feature a new offer based on a chosen athlete, valid for a limited period and in line with their schedule in the London 2012 Games. Each offer will also have a money back incentive dependent on the performance of the athlete.
Customers can book an offer via the dedicated campaign page on ba.com and later ...
Lipsi Cosmetics Takes Cruelty-Free Approach to Product Testing
2012-07-25
Drawing from the magical colors of the Mediterranean, Lipsi Cosmetics has a goal to create not only the highest quality beauty products, but also produce them in a manner that's cruelty-free.
"We do not and will not exploit animals for testing our products, as there are many ways to test cosmetics in a humane way," said Caite Pywar, co-founder of Lipsi Cosmetics. Alternative methods include the use of cell and skin tissue cultures, corneas from eye banks, and sophisticated computer and scientific models that allow researchers to see how a human would react ...
Trafalgar Introduces 2013 Asia Brochure With More Inclusions Than Ever Before
2012-07-25
Trafalgar (www.trafalgar.com), the Insider of Guided Vacations, is thrilled to announce the launch of their 2013 Asia brochure, with trips heading to China, Vietnam, Cambodia and now Japan, as well as extensions to Tibet, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Featuring some of Trafalgar's most incredible inclusions, the new brochure lets guests uncover the wonders of the Orient while experiencing Trafalgar's exclusive Insider Highlights, like Be My Guest Dining and Local Specialties.
To celebrate the launch of the new brochure, Trafalgar is offering savings of up to $1,200 off any ...
Gravity Fashion Launches New Rakhi Gifts Ideas for Brothers
2012-07-25
Marketing lesson number one: never assume you know what your target market wants. Ask them, and you will find out for certain. Marketing lesson number two: tailor your offer to your customers needs. That is exactly what the owners of the popular Indian fashion website, www.gravity-fashion.com, have done in preparation for this years Raksha Bandhan festival.
The Gravity Fashion.com CEO Hiren Patel explains - How many brothers do you know who are facing the difficult task of deciding what to buy for their sisters? Men are not always the best at shopping, especially when ...
Cobb County Georgia Police Deploy Rocket Wireless Vehicle Router Hardware in All Vehicles
2012-07-25
Cobb County, Georgia Police Department took delivery of 187 Rocket wireless vehicle routers on June 13, 2012. These wireless routers are continuing to be installed in all Cobb County Police cars over the next month, and will provide 4G Connectivity on the Verizon 4G network for all Cobb County police vehicles.
"We took delivery of the Rockets recently," stated Lt. Stuart VanHoozer with the Cobb County Police Department. "I found everything to be in order and delivered as promised. Overall, to this point, this transaction has gone well and I look forward ...
Virtual Pinboards? Social Babies Explains in 256 Words
2012-07-25
So there is this semi-new and extremely popular social network called Pinterest. If you don't know, Pinterest in a virtual pinboard. What? A virtual pinboard. Seriously, what?? It's a website were mostly women swap pictures of things they like. Planning a wedding, decorating your dream home and looking for a new wardrobe are just a few ways to use Pinterest. You can create different categorized pinboards. A wedding pinboard, dream home pinboard, new wardrobe pinboard, etc. Other people on Pinterest will have similiar pinboards. You can search for them and repin the pictures ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Cercus electric stimulation enables cockroach with trajectory control and spatial cognition training
Day-long conference addresses difficult to diagnose lung disease
First-ever cardiogenic shock academy features simulation lab
Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained
Less intensive works best for agricultural soil
Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation
Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests
Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome
UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership
New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025
Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025
AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials
New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age
Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker
Chips off the old block
Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia
Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry
Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19
Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity
State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections
Young adults drive historic decline in smoking
NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research
Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development
This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack
FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects
A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions
[Press-News.org] New Massachusetts Alimony Law Makes Divorce Less of a GambleUntil recently, alimony in Massachusetts was filled with uncertainty for spouses in a divorce. Courts had significant latitude to order lifetime alimony, even after short marriages. Going to court to overturn alimony in a divorce could be a gamble. That has changed with the implementation of the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Act of 2012.