Establishing Alimony in Bergen County
Help from Our Hackensack Attorneys
Alimony or spousal support is not automatically awarded to a divorcing couple. This means that to protect your best interests and to get the support payments you need to move on with your life, you need the assistance of a dedicated Hackensack lawyer.
At Laterra & Hodge, LLC, we provide compassionate legal support for those divorcing couples throughout Bergen County. Call us today at (201) 580-2240 to learn more about how we can help you.
How Is Alimony Calculated in New Jersey?
There is no fixed formula in New Jersey for judges to rely upon when determining if alimony is appropriate, and, if so, how much to award and for what term to award alimony. Rather the judge is directed to determine the appropriateness, length, and amount of alimony by assessing a series of statutory factors, which are set forth in N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23b.
There are 14 distinct factors that the court and our Hackensack lawyers, will take into consideration. These include:
- The ability of a spouse to pay and the need for support
- How long the marriage lasted
- The health, age, and other physical factors of each spouse
- The standards of living each spouse are accustomed to
- How employable each spouse is and how much new training they may need
- How long a spouse has been out of the work force
- Which spouse has custody or financial responsibility for the children
- Any expenses necessary for training and employment
- The contributions each spouse made to the marriage
- Equitable distributions made
- Each spouse’s income
- Any tax consequences of an award
- Any support already paid
- Any other relevant factors
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
At Laterra & Hodge, LLC, our lawyers can provide detailed explanations of each of the factors that the court will consider in rendering an alimony determination, as well as the various types of alimony that are available. We can counsel you on what proofs you should begin to gather to support your petition for or defense against an alimony claim.
Call us today at (201) 580-2240 to schedule your free initial consultation.