Divorce

Alimony is financial support paid by, or to, your spouse and can be awarded when a divorce, legal separation, or annulment is granted. If you request alimony and the judge decides to award it in your case, or if you and your spouse agree that it should be ordered, the order can be for either an indefinite period of time with no specific end date, or it can be a time-limited award with a specific end date.¹ In addition, it’s possible to get temporary alimony, known as pendente lite alimony, while the case is going on. Note: Pendente lite relief can also include temporary child support and temporary “exclusive use” of the family home.²

The judge has to hold a hearing about pendente lite alimony or child support within 60 days if your legal papers state that the following information is true: 

• You don’t have enough money to meet your reasonable needs or the reasonable needs of the minor children of the marriage;
• Your spouse is not giving you enough money to meet these reasonable needs; and
• You reasonably believe that your spouse has enough money or has the earning capacity to give you the money you need.²

If the parties do not agree upon alimony and it is up to the judge to decide, the judge will hear evidence presented by you and your spouse and consider certain factors to determine a fair amount to award. These factors include, but are not limited to:

• the length of the marriage;
• the cause of the divorce, legal separation, or annulment;
• the age, health, education of both spouses; and
• the economic status, occupation, amount and sources of income, earning capacity, work skills, employability, estate and needs of you and your spouse.¹

Note: If you have been granted custody of your children, then the judge will also consider how desirable/reasonable it is for you to become employed (if you are not working).¹

¹ C.G.S. § 46b-82(a)
² C.G.S. § 46b-83(a)