Alimony is an amount of money that one party must pay to the other after a divorce. It is considered the continuing obligation of the party to support the former partner until the recipient gains financial stability or remarries. Alimony in Connecticut can be ordered by the court in a number of ways. It may be payments over time for a definite period, it may be a lump sum payment or it may be a permanent payment until the spouse dies or remarries.
Property division and alimony are considered separate factors in a divorce. Even if the two parties are awarded roughly equal amounts of property, a spouse may still be entitled to receive alimony. One of the strongest factors in an alimony determination is the income of both spouses during the marriage. If one spouse had dramatically more income than the other, it could be seen as an indication that one spouse was acting to support the other financially.
Most alimony is determined upon the finalization of divorce and payment begins after the decree is issued. There are circumstances, however, that could institute the payment of alimony pendente lite. This is alimony that is paid while the divorce proceedings are taking place.
Alimony pendent lite is an important consideration for any spouse that has a dramatically different level of income than their partner and is living separately. For example, a spouse moved to a separate home after filing for divorce. Her partner refused to provide for her during the divorce process. She is currently employed at a low paying job, and prior to the divorce her husband was paying most of the bills. The court would likely order alimony pendent lite to ensure the recipient is financially stable during the proceedings.
Source: Connecticut Judicial Branch, “Alimony in Connecticut“, September 15, 2014
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