Short- or long-term spousal support, also called separation maintenance (or alimony in a divorce) may be required if one partner is financially reliant on the other. You may also be entitled to spousal support if your marriage lasted a certain period of time, or because of a variety of other factors.
Massachusetts doesn't have a procedure called “legal separation.” Separate support is a lawsuit to get support for yourself and your family. It can also keep your spouse from putting any limitations on your personal freedom. This is a separate process from divorce.
Divorce or Annulment, Certification Vital Statistics (R-408) Statistical Form to be filed with all Complaints/ Petitions for Divorce and/or Annulment.
There are three types of separation: trial separation, permanent separation, and legal separation.
Financial support given to one spouse when the couple is legally separated is called "separate maintenance." Although it is similar to alimony—financial support given by one ex-spouse to the other after divorce—it is not called "alimony" because the couple is still legally married.
In New York, if a marriage lasts a long time and a spouse is old, ill or unable to support themselves, permanent alimony may be awarded.
Massachusetts laws ...the amount of alimony should generally not exceed the recipient's need or 30 to 35% of the difference between the parties' gross incomes established at the time of the order being issued.
Who Qualifies for Alimony in New York? Either spouse filing for divorce in New York can request alimony. Usually the higher earning spouse (the "payor") makes payments to the spouse with lower (or no) income (the "payee").
In most cases, if a spouse can work and their former spouse cannot afford to provide spousal support, the court can deny alimony. It is pertinent to note that New York is a no-fault divorce state, meaning both parties could cite fault grounds, however, it will not affect whether a spouse is granted spousal maintenance.
Typically, the judge will take 20% of the lower-earning spouse's income and subtract that number from 30% of the higher-earning spouse's income. For example, one spouse makes $100,000, and the other makes $20,000. Thirty percent of $100,000 is $30,000, and 20% of $20,000 is $4,000.