Alimony in Connecticut

Connecticut Courts have the authority to award alimony to one of the parties to a divorce. However, one should not assume that alimony is automatic, or that any specific amount of alimony is standard. The courts will consider each case on its own merits while taking numerous factors into consideration.

Alimony in Connecticut is governed by statute which sets out specific criteria that the court may use in determining alimony. The court must take all of these criteria into consideration when making its decision on the amount of alimony and the period that the alimony will run. Also, alimony could be ordered in a lump sum rather than in periodic payments.

Alimony can be ordered at two different times within a court case. First, the court can make an order of temporary alimony which will last only while the case is pending before final judgment. The purpose of temporary alimony is to insure that both parties have adequate support while a case is pending, for cases can take up to a year or more to go to judgment. Second, the Court can make an order of alimony in the final judgment. A court can modify an order of temporary alimony upon a proper motion.

Connecticut Courts even have the authority to order a party who is not a resident of Connecticut to pay alimony to their spouse, provided the court has proper jurisdiction.

Obviously, obtaining the proper amount of alimony is not an easy matter. You need an attorney who understands the intricacies of the court system, the judges and the law. Attorney Kevin L. Hoffkins has experience obtaining alimony for his clients throughout his twenty years of practice. He will assist you in placing a fair value for alimony on your case based on his experience. He will also advise on the tax laws that affect your alimony payments.