Divorce

Alimony is financial support paid by, or to, your spouse. Alimony may also be called “maintenance” or “spousal support.” A judge can grant you alimony if:

1. s/he finds that you do not have enough property or assets to meet your needs; and
2. one of the following things is true:

• you can’t support yourself through an appropriate job; or
• you are the caregiver for a child whose specific needs make it unreasonable for you to work outside of the home.¹

If the judge decides to award you alimony, s/he will also decide how much to award and how long the payments will last. To do this, s/he will look at the following factors:

• your financial resources, including any marital property being awarded to you;
• your ability to meet your needs without your spouse;
• whether you will be receiving child support;
• the time and expense for you to get training or education to find an appropriate job;
• your standard of living during your marriage;
• how long you were married to your spouse;
• your age;
• your physical and emotional condition; and
• your spouse’s ability to meet his/her own needs while supporting you.²

¹ Ky. Rev. Stat. § 403.200(1)
² Ky. Rev. Stat. § 403.200(2)