Divorce causes emotional and financial upheaval. When families split up, so do their assets and resources. Rich Rochlin Family Law is here to help you find stability. A Bristol family lawyer from our team can help work out an alimony agreement to keep your finances under control.
Our perfect A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) shows our commitment to providing excellent service and representation. An alimony lawyer in Bristol will demonstrate that commitment while working to protect your rights and secure a fair alimony agreement.
How Divorce and Alimony Work in Connecticut
It’s important to know what to expect when filing for divorce in Connecticut. Connecticut is a no-fault state for divorce. This means you do not have to prove anyone did anything “wrong” to dissolve your marriage. It’s enough to say your marriage is irretrievably broken or you and your spouse have irreconcilable differences.
No-fault does not always mean conflict-free. Some divorces are “uncontested.” This means you and your partner agree on the terms of your divorce, such as property division, child custody, and alimony. Alimony is money one ex-spouse must pay the other for financial support. Some states refer to alimony as “spousal maintenance.”
Other divorces are “contested,” which means spouses do not agree on all terms. Alimony is one issue that can create conflict. Alimony is not automatic in a divorce. The court considers several factors when determining if such payments are warranted. A Bristol alimony attorney can work to get you the maintenance you deserve, or to protect you from having to make unfair payments.
Call today for a consultation with an alimony lawyer serving Bristol (860) 357-9158
An Alimony Lawyer in Bristol Can Fight to Protect Your Rights
The court determines whether and how much alimony one spouse must pay the other, per Section 46b-82 Alimony of the Connecticut General Assembly. Spouses with less financial power after a divorce may qualify for alimony. Often, one spouse has more significant childcare and household responsibilities and may not have the same earning power as the other.
Alimony is not child support. Child support payments cover expenses that come with raising the ex-spouse’s shared children. Alimony is money that supports the spouse. It allows them to keep the same, or close to the same, standard of living as they had while married.
Factors of Consideration for Alimony
When deciding what qualifies a spouse for alimony, the court considers the length of the marriage, the couple’s marital standard of living, and the potential recipient’s:
- age
- health
- earning capacity
- ability to achieve financial self-sufficiency
Though not a definite rule, it is typical for ex-spouses from longer marriages, especially one in which the spouse was a stay-at-home parent for many years, to receive alimony.
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When to Demand Alimony
According to the Connecticut Judicial Branch, alimony is money the court requires one spouse to pay the other “before and/or after the divorce is granted.” Further, you “can never get” alimony in the future if you do not ask for it at the final hearing.
Your role in your marriage may entitle you to alimony. That deserved payment can help you find your financial footing after your divorce and support you as you create a new life. Rich Rochlin Family Law can handle this important aspect of your divorce. Do not risk losing out on getting the resources you have earned.
On the other hand, an alimony attorney in Bristol can also protect you from a spouse who may be taking advantage of your finances. We can work to ensure roles in the marriage are properly represented and that you don’t end up paying more than what’s fair.
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The Different Types of Alimony
The Guide for Alimony in Connecticut defines the different types of alimony the court may order one spouse to pay the other.
- Alimony Pendente Lite: Support paid during divorce litigation and as the court makes a final determination about continuing payments.
- Permanent Alimony: Support paid in regular installments for life. These end only upon one spouse’s death or when the receiving spouse remarries or cohabits with a new partner.
- Lump-Sum Alimony: A fixed amount of support paid either in one lump sum or in determined periodic payments.
- Periodic Alimony: Permanent support payments issued at scheduled intervals.
- Modifiable Alimony: Support payments that can be raised, lowered, or terminated because of a “substantial change in circumstances.” Periodic alimony may be modifiable. Lump-sum alimony usually is not.
- Rehabilitative Alimony: Time-limited payments continuing until the receiving spouse gets the training, education, or experience needed to be financially independent, or for other reasons determined by the court.
Alimony Pendente Lite is a temporary alimony order and may differ from the final orders given with the divorce decree and after the division of assets is complete.
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The Process for Changing Alimony Agreements
Our team can help you understand alimony modification in Connecticut. If you need to make a modification request, a Bristol alimony lawyer can take your request through the process. As the party making the request, you must show the judge that a substantial change in circumstances presents grounds for alimony modification.
Examples of these changes include job loss. The paying spouse could get laid off from their job. They may become ill and unable to work. Retirement may prompt a judge to modify payments, but only if the paying spouse can prove they don’t have other sources of income. Ultimately, the court considers both ex-spouses’ situations when making a decision.
The Modification Process
You have to file paperwork with the court to request an alimony modification. An attorney can make sure your documentation is accurate and filed properly. Then, your ex is served with the modification paperwork, alerting them to your request.
Next, the case enters a “discovery period.” Each side presents its reasons and evidence for requesting or opposing the modification. The judge reviews the evidence and issues a determination at a hearing.
We’ve Got Your Alimony Needs Covered
Ending an unhealthy marriage shouldn’t destroy your financial future. Rich Rochlin Family Law is here to help you move into your new phase of life with a sense of stability.
You deserve a fair alimony agreement, and an alimony lawyer in Bristol can fight to make that happen.
Let us help navigate your family legal matters schedule your consultation now.
