When determining whether alimony should be awarded and the amount and duration of the award, the court must consider all the evidence presented and a specified list of factors. The factors the court considers when awarding alimony are: - The length of the marriage; - The cause for the annulment, dissolution, or legal separation; - The parties’ age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, earning capacity, vocational skills, education, employability, estate, and needs; - Any property division ordered by the court; - Each spouse’s need for support; and - In the case of minor children, the desirability and feasibility of the custodial parent securing employment (CGS § 46b-82(a)). The court must specify the basis for any order of alimony that only terminates upon the death of either party or the remarriage of the alimony recipient.
Yes, generally the length of the marriage is an important factor for a court to consider when determining how long spousal support is paid. Typically, if the marriage lasted for two years or less then minimal or no alimony will be awarded. Aside from this, the longer the marriage the longer the alimony payments can continue. Typically, after 20 years of marriage, there is a strong presumption of alimony, and lifetime or permanent alimony is a possibility.
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