Spousal support, more commonly known as alimony, is not an automatic given in a divorce. And if it is warranted, the details need to be worked out. In New Jersey there are four categories of spousal support: open durational, limited duration, rehabilitative and reimbursement. Open durational and limited duration are the more common types of alimony. You can receive a combination of types of alimony, such as limited duration and rehabilitative, depending on your set of circumstances.
Open durational is for marriages longer than 20 years and has no set end date and continues until a significant change in circumstances, generally until the person paying it reaches full retirement age. This change in circumstances can warrant a modification or termination of the support. Limited duration is for a set amount of time. Rehabilitative and reimbursement spousal support are less common. Rehabilitative is to help pay for the recipient spouse’s schooling that needs to be completed to help him/her get on his/her feet after the divorce. For example, paying for a certificate program or to finish a college degree so that you can effectively enter or re-enter the workforce and start fully supporting yourself. Reimbursement occurs when one spouse helped pay for the other spouse’s advanced education during the course of the marriage but now will not be married to that person to reap the rewards of the education. For example, if you paid for your spouse’s law school while you were married and then get divorced upon his/her graduation, reimbursement spousal support is to pay you back for your outlay.
At Westfield Mediation, LLC, a professional divorce mediator can help you address all the terms of spousal support. No matter what type of alimony applies to your situation, you need to determine the terms of payment- how much and how long. Will you pay by check, direct deposit, once a month, per paycheck, once a year? Will you pay for 3, 5, 7, 18 years? Are you paying the same amount each year or is there a step-down process? Each divorce is unique, and the mediator can help you figure out what works best for your new future.
