Alimony is the periodic payment of support money for maintenance of a former spouse. And alimony is available if necessary to ensure the ability of the economically weaker party to support him or herself. As a rule, spousal support can be deducted from the income of the payer and it must be included as income to the payee. Alimony can be temporary or long-term. There are some factors the court considers in determining whether to order temporary or long-term alimony, or whether to order alimony at all.The amount and duration of spousal maintenance depends on several factors, including:

• The length of the marriage
• The age of each spouse
• The health of each spouse
• The ability of each spouse to be self-supporting
• The income of the primary breadwinner
• The standard of living the parties enjoyed during the marriage

At Family Legal Help.net, we can provide compassionate, personalized services for spouses who need effective representation in various complex alimony matters. For more information, contact us at (877) NY LAW 07 or (718) 725-9600.