Why Your Alimony Payments May Seem Big: Four Types Of Alimony

You probably know that alimony is a court-ordered payment to a former spouse after divorce. However, do you know that there are several types of alimony? Some of the common ones include:

Temporary Alimony

Also known by the legal term "pendent lite," temporary alimony is what you pay to your spouse if he or she has a low income or is unemployed. He or she is supposed to use this money for living expenses while you are living separately during the divorce process. Your spouse may have to seek a temporary court order to get this form of alimony from you.

Permanent

Once the divorce is finalized, then you may be required to start paying permanent alimony. It is permanent in the sense that you have to pay it until your spouse remarries or passes away. In most cases, the amount awarded during a divorce is not final. You may petition he courts to lower it if your financial situation suffers. At the same time, your former partner may also petition for an increase if he or she suffers financial misfortune or realizes that your earnings have increased.

Rehabilitative

Once the divorce is final, then you may also be required to pay rehabilitative alimony. Your partner may request this money to get back on his or her feet and start supporting himself or herself after the divorce. This is most likely to be the case if he or she was a stay-at-home parent during your marriage.

Your partner may use the money to start a business, go to college or seek employment. Of course, the court expects him or her to have a clear plan on how to achieve these objectives. Rehabilitative alimony is paid for a limited period, but the spouse may seek for an extension if he or she feels that the circumstances demand it.

Reimbursement

This is the money you pay to a former spouse who helped you make a professional investment. The reasoning is that the spouse was doing it with the hope of enjoying the fruits of his or her investment.  For example, if your spouse supports you while you are in law school, then he or she may be entitled to reimbursement alimony after divorce.

This form of alimony is often awarded to spouses with professional practices such as doctors and lawyers. The demand for reimbursement alimony carries more weight if you divorce soon after finishing your studies. If you divorce many years after attaining your professional status, then it is assumed that your partner will enjoy the fruits of his or her labor via equitable distribution of marital assets.

Note that the courts may direct you to pay a combination of these types of alimony. For example, you may pay temporary, rehabilitative and reimbursement alimony. That can be very expensive, especially if you don't have an experienced attorney to ensure that your rights are maintained.