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What You Need To Know About The Alimony Reform Act

Laws surrounding family matters constantly change through new legislation and case law decisions. It is important to have a lawyer on your side who stays abreast of these changes, including the Massachusetts alimony law that took effect in March 2012.

The Alimony Reform Act makes sweeping changes to how alimony is calculated and the length of time it can be in effect. These changes affect both the recipients of spousal support and the party who will be making the payments. If you are contemplating or have started a divorce action, or if you need to seek a modification to an existing spousal support order, you should contact Gilman, McLaughlin & Hanrahan, LLP , in Massachusetts, for thorough counsel regarding your options and how these new legislative changes may affect your alimony payments and divorce agreement.

Spousal Support Calculations

Under this new law, there are new provisions regarding how alimony is awarded, calculated and subject to modification. For instance:

  • Terms or limits on alimony
  • The certain, limited cases in which alimony can now be awarded for life
  • What happens if the party responsible for paying alimony remarries?
  • Conditions that can result in alimony being suspended, reduced or terminated
  • How child support now affects alimony
  • How health and life insurance payments can affect the general-term alimony amount
  • Under what circumstances an extension beyond the limits stated in the new legislation will be granted?

Understanding how alimony is calculated can be critical when negotiating other factors of your divorce, such as property division. We know that drawn-out divorce conflicts are rarely in anybody’s interest. Our attorneys have the experience to help you pursue a fair divorce settlement that includes a fair alimony schedule using the new legislative provisions, so you can move on with your life.

Contact us today by calling 617-580-3180 to discuss your family law case with one of our experienced Boston family law attorneys.