What Factors Are Considered When Determining Alimony in a Connecticut Divorce?

What Factors Do Judges Consider When Deciding Whether to Award Alimony in Connecticut Divorces?

The Connecticut alimony statute lists the factors to be considered by the court when determining alimony in a divorce.  These factors inform a judge’s decision as to (1) whether there will be alimony, and, if so, (2) how much, and (3) for how long.  These factors are considered in no fault divorces as well as for fault divorces.

The court considers all of these factors, and there is no indication that any single factor is more important than any other factor.  The court has the discretion to weigh these factors based upon the individual circumstances of each case.

The alimony factors to be considered by Connecticut divorce courts include:

• The length of the marriage
• The causes for the annulment, dissolution of the marriage or legal separation

And each spouse’s respective:

• Age
• Health
• Station
• Occupation
• Amount and sources of income
• Earning capacity
• Vocational skills
• Education
• Employability
• Estate
• Needs
• The award, if any, which the court may make pursuant to section 46b-81 (In other words, how the parties have agreed or how the court has decided to divide the spouses’ property is taken into consideration.  Basically, there is an interplay between alimony and property division.)
• In the case of a parent to whom the custody of minor children has been awarded, the desirability and feasibility of such parent’s securing employment.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned more about the factors that Connecticut courts consider when determining whether there will be alimony, you may want to learn more about “How Alimony Works in Connecticut Divorces.”  Or, you may want to switch gears and learn about property division.

All of the alimony factors mean that there is a lot of opportunity for creative negotiations, strategy, and solutions. It’s important to have an experienced divorced legal team be your guide.

Our first step at Freed Marcroft, the Goals & Planning Conference, is designed to get to the heart of your problem and unveil your true goals.  Then, we take those goals along with the facts of your case and analyze them so that we can present you with recommendations and options on how to move forward.

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