Divorce

Alimony is financial support paid by, or to, your spouse. The judge will decide how much and for how long you will get alimony. If you are granted alimony, the judge may order your spouse to start the alimony payments from the date you filed for alimony even if some time has passed since then.¹

The judge decides if s/he will award you alimony based on several factors, including:

• your ability to support yourself;
• the time you would need to get the necessary education or training to find a job;
• the standard of living during your marriage;
• the length of the marriage;
• the contributions of you and your spouse (financial and other) to the well-being of your family;
• the circumstances that led to your divorce;
• the age of you and your spouse;
• the physical and mental condition of you and your spouse;
• your spouse’s ability to meet her/his needs while paying you alimony;
• any agreement between you and your spouse;
• the financial needs and resources of you and your spouse, including all income and assets, any property award, financial responsibilities, and retirement benefits; and
• if your spouse is in a hospital and paying you alimony would cause him/her to become eligible for medical assistance earlier than if s/he were not ordered to pay you alimony.²

A judge may award you alimony for an indefinite period of time if:

• because of your age, illness, or disability, you will not be able to support yourself; or
• your and your spouse’s lifestyles will still be unconscionably (unreasonably) different even if you can support yourself.³

¹ MD Code, Fam. Law, § 11-106(a)(1), (a)(2)
² MD Code, Fam. Law, § 11-106(b)
³ MD Code, Fam. Law, § 11-106(c)