Alimony payments in Connecticut can take a variety of forms depending on the couple’s financial situation at the time of the divorce. In some cases, the court may grant temporary alimony to support one of the parties during the divorce proceedings. This normally occurs if it will be a long time before the court finishes the divorce proceedings and it anticipates an award of permanent alimony. Every case relies on the judge’s discretion to decide if it warrants temporary alimony.
Permanent alimony comes in a few different forms, and it is generally not actually permanent. The court could issue an order for a lump sum payment or periodic payments, or it could order one party to make payments on behalf of the other toward an annuity, a trust or a service provider.
The final type of alimony is rehabilitative. The court may award this type of alimony when one party needs retraining or re-education before being able to return to the workforce. This is common if one party worked part-time or did not work so that he or she could care for any children or the house while the other provided the majority of the support.
With any type of spousal support, the amount and duration of the payments are at the discretion of the judge issuing the order, and a variety of factors go into the decision. An attorney who has experience in divorce and family law matters can answer questions that a client may have about the types of alimony payments and what factors the court examines before issuing a spousal support award.
Source: National Paralegal College, “Types of Alimony / Spousal Support“, November 12, 2014
