I Have Only Been Married Three Years, Will I be Entitled to Alimony?
You are entitled to alimony if you are in need of support and your spouse has the ability to pay that support. A Court can order alimony for several reasons. Alimony may be required to help a spouse earn more or get a job or could also be awarded to help a spouse return to school so that they have a higher earning capacity. In Tennessee, a Court may order temporary, short-term, or long-term alimony. Temporary alimony is granted during the divorce proceeding and before the final decree. Short-term alimony may be granted after the divorce to allow the receiving party time to gain necessary skills in order to have a higher earning capacity. Long-term, or permanent alimony may be granted to a spouse who has significant needs and is usually reserved for long-term marriages.
Whether or not a spouse receives alimony depends upon the circumstances. A few of the factors that are considered when determining whether or not alimony will be paid include the age, mental condition, and physical condition of each spouse, the separate assets of each spouse, the duration of the marriage, the extent to which each spouse has made tangible & intangible contributions to the marriage (i.e. being a homemaker), the fault of each spouse as it pertains the divorce, etc. When a marriage has been of shorter duration, the Court tries to put you back in the position that you were in prior to the marriage. So, even if you were in a short-term marriage, the Court can still weigh the factors and determine that it is appropriate to award alimony.
If you are filing for divorce or have more questions regarding alimony, contact Angel Kane at Kane & Crowell Family Law Center at www.kane-law.com or by phone at (615) 784-4800. We handle cases in Wilson County, Sumner County, Trousdale County, Macon County, Smith County, and Rutherford County and are happy to put our experience at work for you.
