Divorce

To decide whether to grant you alimony, the judge will consider:

• the length of marriage; 
• the ability of the spouse requesting support to become self-supporting in a reasonable amount of time; and
• both spouses’:
  • ability to pay support;
  • age;
  • employment history and job potential;
  • income history and income potential;
  • education and training;
  • retirement provisions and health insurance benefits;
  • tax consequences for the sale of your marital property or home;
  • health and any disabilities;
  • tax consequences because of a spousal support award;
  • contributions as a homemaker;
  • contributions to the education or earning potential of the other;
  • economic misconduct that caused the loss or reduction of value of property or income;
  • standard of living during the marriage;
  • actual or potential income from property awarded as part of the court’s distributive order;
  • child support orders; and
  • any other factors that the judge thinks is appropriate.¹

If the judge issues an alimony order, it must include any limitations on the award that the judge believes are fair, which could includes a limit on:

• the increases or decreases in the amount of support or the term (length) of support;
• the method of payment of support;
• the payment of support if you get remarried or if you begin living together with a romantic partner (cohabitation).²

¹ ME ST T. 19-A § 951-A(5)
² ME ST T. 19-A § 951-A(3)