There are no actual tables or guides for determining alimony or spousal support. Instead, the court reviews a number of factors to determine the economic needs of the potential dependent spouse while also considering the ability of the other spouse to pay support.
Factors taken into consideration include:
- Amount each spouse earns or will likely earn in the future
- Spouses’ ages
- Medical and emotional status of each spouse
- Length of time the two were married
- Spouses’ standard of living during the marriage
- Whether and how much one spouse contributed to the education of the other spouse
- Economic impact custody of the children will have on the custodial parent, if there are children
- Assets and liabilities of the parties and the debt service requirements of each
- Contribution of a spouse as a homemaker
- Tax implications of an alimony award
- If income received by one party was previously considered by the court in an equitable distribution proceeding