Securing alimony, also called spousal maintenance or support, can be an important part of getting through a divorce with one’s financial security intact. In order to understand how to pursue alimony, an Illinois resident should be aware of the many factors that courts may look at in order to decide if spousal support is appropriate. This post will discuss some of those factors but may not be comprehensive. Readers are always encouraged to talk to their own attorneys about their family law and divorce needs.

One of the most relevant factors that courts will analyze during an alimony assessment is the capacity of the divorcing parties to earn money for their own care. In some divorces, both of the parties will have full-time, adequately paying jobs that will allow them to maintain their own needs once they are out of their marriages. When individuals lack the capacity to earn money after they divorce, they may be more likely to receive alimony awards during their divorces.

Different reasons can contribute to individuals’ inabilities to earn money. A person may be ill or injured, may be of an advanced age, or may lack the education or job skills to secure a well-paying job. When a divorce occurs, a person may seek support so that they can live at or near the standard of living they enjoyed while they were married to their spouse.

Alimony may last for varying lengths of time, depending on the needs of the parties and the duration of the parties’ marriage. As with all family law matters, different alimony cases may have different legal resolutions. Individual alimony claims should be managed by attorneys who are committed to their clients’ unique cases.