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Can I Get Alimony Or Will I Have To Pay Alimony?

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There are several factors a judge considers when deciding whether to grant alimony. Of course these differ from state to state, but they usually involve things like the parties relative ability to earn money, both now and in the future; their respective age and health; the length of the marriage; the kind of property involved, and the conduct of the parties. In general, about the only time a judge will award alimony in most states is where one spouse has been economically dependent on the other spouse for most of their lengthy marriage.

Alimony gets treated differently from child support on your tax return. Alimony is tax deductible to the person who pays it, and is included in the taxable income of the person who receives it. Child support is not taxable to the person who receives it and is not tax deductible to the person who pays it. If you and your spouse have dramatically different incomes, there may be some tax advantages to using alimony, even if a judge wouldn't ordinarily award it.

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