Spousal Support is money paid by one spouse to the other after separation or divorce. It is sometimes called alimony or maintenance. Many factors may affect whether a married or common-law spouse is entitled to spousal support and how much support they should receive.

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Spousal support entitlement will depend on various factors that the Court will consider when ordering the amount and duration of Spousal Support. These factors include:

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• the financial means and needs of both spouses;

• the length of the marriage;

• the roles of each spouse during their marriage;

• the effect of those roles and the breakdown of the marriage on both spouses' current financial positions;

• the care of the children;

• the goal of encouraging a spouse who receives Support to be self-sufficient in a reasonable period of time; and

• any orders, agreements, or arrangements already made about Spousal Support.

 

Courts further consider whether Spousal Support would meet the following purposes:

• to compensate the spouse with the lower income for sacrificing their opportunities for higher-income during the marriage;

• to compensate the spouse with the lower income for the ongoing care of children; or

• to help a spouse who is in financial need if the other spouse has the ability to pay

 

Neverless, the spouse who receives support has an obligation to become self-sufficient within a reasonable timeframe.