Massachusetts weighs a number of factors when deciding whether to award you alimony in a divorce case. Your age, your level of education and whether you made sacrifices so your spouse could succeed are often among them. If the state does decide to award you alimony, you may have questions about how long it might last.
According to Mass.gov, general term alimony is a common form you may want to pursue if your spouse supported you financially during your marriage. How long you receive this type of alimony depends on how long your marriage lasted. Generally, the longer your marriage was, the longer you stand to receive this form of support.
When your marriage lasted five years or less
If your marriage lasted less than five years, the longest you could receive alimony is for half of your marriage’s duration. If your marriage lasted two years and the state awards you general term alimony, expect to receive it for one year.
When your marriage lasted between five and 20 years
If your marriage lasted between five and 10 years, you stand to receive alimony for up to 60% of the months you remained married. So, if your marriage lasted eight years, which is 96 months, you could potentially receive alimony for almost five years, at most.
If your marriage lasted between 10 and 15 years, you may be able to secure alimony for up to 70% of the months your marriage lasted. If your union lasted between 15 and 20 years, you may be able to get it for 80% of the months you remained married.
When your marriage lasted at least 20 years
If you remained married for more than 20 years, you may be able to receive alimony indefinitely.