GET THE LEGAL SUPPORT YOU NEED REACH OUT TODAY

ALIMONY REFORM ACT ATTORNEY IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS

EXPLAINING HOW THE MASSACHUSETTS ALIMONY REFORM ACT MAY AFFECT YOU

We help clients throughout Greater Boston and Boston North Shore with a wide range of alimony and support issues. We can help you modify existing alimony or advise you on your options regarding alimony during your divorce.

Our lead attorney Monique Boucher Lamb was born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts. She has watched the Massachusetts alimony laws change over the years. She stays up-to-date on changes in divorce law, including the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Act. She can help you understand how it will affect your alimony, whether during a divorce or when looking to change existing alimony arrangements.

UNDER THE NEW LAW, LIFETIME ALIMONY PAYMENTS ARE RARE

The new alimony law established some drastic changes to the alimony laws. First, it placed a limit on the duration of alimony based on the number of years the couple was married.

For example, if a couple was married for less than five years, the alimony cannot last for more than 50 percent of the length of the marriage. Therefore, if a couple was married for two years, alimony could not last more than one year. For long-term marriages that lasted longer than 20 years, extended alimony periods can be granted. However, alimony will end at the age of retirement.

OTHER CHANGES UNDER THE NEW LAW INCLUDE:

  • Limits to the amount of alimony that can be paid, based on the incomes of the parties

  • Alimony ends if the receiving spouse remarries

  • Alimony can be modified or finished if the receiving spouse cohabitates with a partner

These changes to the alimony law help us to provide you with a straightforward assessment of the alimony you can expect in your divorce.

CHANGE YOUR EXISTING ALIMONY UNDER THE NEW LAW

If you were married before the change in the law, we can help you modify your existing alimony or terminate your alimony. Not all existing alimony orders can be changed immediately. Under the new law, for example, those who were married for less than five years can change their alimony starting March 1, 2013. We can help you understand the time frame for your modification and assist you with the modification process.

FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION

Contact us today for a free initial consultation with an experienced family law and divorce lawyer. We can discuss issues concerning your alimony and spousal support case.