There are a few kinds of alimony in Maryland. These include alimony pendente lite, temporary alimony and indefinite alimony. Most people have heard of rehabilitative and indefinite alimony, but if you haven’t heard of pendente lite, you’re not alone.
Alimony pendente lite refers to alimony that you receive between the time when you file for your divorce and when the divorce is final. This kind of alimony is typically ordered to maintain your “status quo” throughout the divorce. While it’s helpful, getting pendente lite alimony does not guarantee that you will receive alimony of another sort following your divorce.
What does the court consider before deciding if you should receive alimony?
The courts in Maryland look at many factors before deciding if granting alimony is the right choice. For example, some of the factors that may be considered include:
- The length of your marriage
- The age of each person involved in the divorce
- Your personal financial situation during the marriage and presently
- The reasons why you’re seeking or the other party is seeking divorce
- Your mental health, physical health and age
- The contributions of each party during the marriage
- Each person’s ability to continue to earn a supportive income
This list is in no way conclusive. There are many factors that a judge can consider, and there could be special factors to consider in yours that others would not have in their cases. Your attorney can help you show why you’d like alimony, how long you’d like it for and how pendente lite alimony can help you while going through the divorce process.