If you have stayed at home to provide for your family in recent years, you may know even before you begin looking at the cost of rental apartments that you don’t currently have a competitive resume or the ability to command a living wage.
Alimony or spousal support is a critical stopgap that helps ensure that those who devote themselves to their families aren’t left destitute in the event of a divorce. Can you seek alimony in your New Hampshire divorce? What factors from your family and marriage will influence whether you get alimony, how long it lasts and how much you receive?
New Hampshire alimony laws require a comprehensive financial review
If you want to request that the courts order alimony as part of your divorce, you will need to demonstrate to the courts that you are unable to support yourself at this time and that your ex has the ability to pay alimony, also sometimes called spousal support or maintenance.
The courts are going to look at a number of factors, including your personal professional history, the income of both spouses, whether your current unemployment is volitional or necessary and even the custody of your children when deciding whether alimony is appropriate for your family’s situation.
These and other factors can also influence the amount of alimony payments. For example, if you are in a situation where your spouse filed for divorce after your diagnosis with cancer, the fact that you were too sick to work will likely influence how the courts handle alimony in your case. You won’t be able to work while also likely incurring major medical costs at the same time.
Temporary alimony is far more common than permanent alimony
Most of the time, alimony is a tool to balance the standard of living between former spouses after a divorce. The courts typically expect that the spouse receiving alimony will take steps to improve their earning potential and financial situation.
However, in situations such as a spouse with a terminal illness or a spouse having full custody of a child with special needs that prevents them from working, the courts may well consider ordering permanent alimony.
