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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    131

    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    What's funny is that alimony and unfair property-division laws are starting to change (Massachusetts had a big overhaul) after women are starting to pay alimony and unfair property-division arrangements in larger numbers. I think women are now making about 1-2% of all alimony payments (roughly 0% even 10 or 20 years ago), but it's enough for a cry that alimony is unfair. And one human being leeching off another human being for an entire lifetime - with no reciprocity - and the payer can be thrown in jail for non-payment - is beyond unfair. It's like 13th Amendment unfair.

    But changes in alimony and unfair property and pension-division laws are not going to change existing settlements. I guess more and more of the public is starting to see these recipients as scum. That's at least a small relief.

    Quote Quoting Dogmatique
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    Also, this is a stipulated agreement (as opposed to being ordered by the court), where both parties willingly agreed to the terms.
    Yeah, well, "stipulated agreement" sometimes means that you can either agree to it - or pay lots of money to an attorney - and then still agree to it or get it ordered by a judge. There are also stipulated agreements with the Mafia.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Somewhere near Canada
    Posts
    35,894

    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    You're preaching to the choir, Michael. In my very humble little opinion, there are VERY few situations where I think alimony is appropriate to begin with - and even fewer where lifetime alimony is appropriate.

    Texas has gotten smart about it, Mass. is catching up, and hopefully other states will follow.

    With that said, I'll refrain from calling names. I do agree that many recipients are simply leeching when they're fully capable of working and supporting themselves. But not all are doing that.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    She's also likely to get a portion of his social security, as they were married over 10 years.

    Doggie is right - this is NOT alimony. The court is ordering that she is entitled to a portion of his military retirement benefit (presumably because she was holding down the home front and raising children during his military service, rather than working and contributing to her own retirement). Alimony is generally a SEPARATE payment made monthly to support the ex spouse, and while it CAN be lifetime, it is intended to keep the spouse at the same standard of living until such time as they may be able to provide it for themselves.

    This is figured out on a case by case basis, and is based on the length of the marriage, the level and extent of financial dependency of one spouse on the other, and job prospects and abilities of the spouse seeking support - so there's a huge difference between a fit 26 year old with a college degree (young and educated = likely to be able to support herself) versus a 59 year old who has been a homemaker for 40 years and has arthritis and COPD (unskilled, uneducated, health issues, and not likely to be able, even with effort, to garner employment that would enable a similar standard of living).

    The division of retirement/pension assets is generally seen when only ONE spouse has been the primary bread-winner for some significant portion of the marriage as opposed to BOTH spouses working and amassing a retirement nest egg.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    11

    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    So it is for life. When I went back through the divorce decree, the alimony section stated each party waves and forever relinquishes the right to have alimony. I do feel making some one pay for life is wrong . Thank you for all your help everyone

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Somewhere near Canada
    Posts
    35,894

    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    Again though - she's not getting alimony. It's a different thing entirely - this is a property settlement.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    11

    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    Okay, property settlement for life ! what kind of mess is that.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Somewhere near Canada
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    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    I hear what you're saying. However, it may have actually been the best option at the time. Was your husband represented by counsel?

    When it comes to divorce, it's always an emotional time. Always. But, there comes a point where you have to pack the emotion into a box and become businesslike, especially when there are considerable assets. It becomes a business transaction. I know this is easier to say than do (but I have been there), but when we let emotion make our decisions (like giving up, or relenting because we're just so tired of it and so empty), they often turn out to be poor decisions.

    With that said, it IS possible that your husband made the right decision - had he fought it, he might have ended up even worse off. Obviously we don't know the full details, but it is something to consider.

    It could be worse!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    11

    Default Re: Award of Alimony for Life

    Yes he was represented by counsel, and he said it was very very emotional because he believed in forever. Thank you for the wise counsel, I'm just going to have to see it as a bill from here on out . (something to make you smile)

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