Divorce

Alimony, also called spousal support or maintenance, is financial support paid by one spouse to the other. If you request alimony, the judge will consider the following factors:

• financial resources of you and your spouse;
• marriage length;
• “standard of living” while married, which considers things like what your expenses were and what kind of house you lived in;
• ages of you and your spouse;
• physical and emotional condition of you and your spouse;
• custody and child support responsibilities; 
• the usual jobs of each spouse during the marriage;
• your vocational skills and employability;
• your ability to meet your needs independently;
• the needs of both spouses;
• your spouse’s ability to meet his/her own financial needs while still meeting yours;
• other factors that measure the financial situation that each party would be in once the judge decides whether or not to grant alimony; and
• the likely length of time that you would need support.¹

The judge may also consider:

• money or property that was hidden or not told (disclosed) to the judge; and
• any history of violating a restraining order against the other spouse.¹

¹ Haw. Stat. § 580-47(a)