Is Alimony (Spousal Support) awarded in short term marriages in Massachusetts?
Courts will generally not award alimony in short term marriages but may consider awarding rehabilitative or short duration alimony to give homemakers, non employed, or low earning spouses the opportunity to finish school,or to retrain, or provide time to reenter the workforce. As part of a divorce settlement, the Courts will consider child support in whole or in part as alimony provided the after-tax support received by the custodial parent is not diminished. It’s important to remember that the Court has discretion about whether or not to award alimony based on the specifics of your case regardless of the duration of the marriage.
