Many New Jersey divorces often come with something that lasts a lifetime: alimony. It can cost some individuals hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of their lifetime.
Currently, one danger in many divorces is lifetime alimony. That means that the spouse making more income has to pay the other spouse a fixed amount each month for the rest of his or her life. The recipient of permanent alimony will continue receiving alimony for years to come at a fixed rate, often regardless of the recipient's efforts to obtain employment.
When normal retirement occurs, the payor has the opportunity to file for a review in court and hope for some financial relief. However, this does not mean alimony will stop. The needs of the recipient are still considered, so some form of payment may still be required depending on the assets and ability of the payor to continue making such payments. Under any circumstances it is difficult to modify alimony once it has been estabished.
According to some, this lifetime alimony can cost a person their freedom. If they can no longer afford to make payments, it is possible for a payor to end up in jail. Lifetime alimony is a large burden to bear, but that may change very soon.
Following the trend that began in neighboring Massachusetts, there is discussion in New Jersey to create a commission to study what sort of changes might be made to the state's alimony policies.
Some have called the current policies leftovers from another time; decades ago when many women did not have jobs and took care of the domestic front. Other states with allegedly antiquated alimony laws are further along in the process, but this behavior hopefully indicates change is in the near future for New Jersey.
Source: The Huffington Post, "Florida and New Jersey Alimony Injustices," Elizabeth Benedict, Jan. 20, 2012
5 Comments
Bea
February 6, 2012 at 8:16 PM
Change can't come soon enough for the alimony payers. Why on earth anyone, man or woman, has to pay another person after divorce is the question! It is so absurd! Most people in NJ do NOT believe that permanent alimony is being ordered in this day and age. Women are capable of supporting thenselves. There is always the song and dance about how the woman gave up her life to stay home with the children. EXCUSE ME! Wasn't she being supported? And she probably had more time to enjoy life while the breadwinner had his nose to the grindstone at work. He probably didn't have time to enjoy life with the children. Women who wanted a chance to work usually could. I don't buy the idea that women have to be compensated for staying at home. And I don't buy the idea that men wouldn't let them work. END permanent alimony as other states have!
Greedy Woman
February 9, 2012 at 9:23 AM
Greedy exes can falsely claim that the spouse made more than he or shea ctually does. Then crazy Judges award LIFETIME ALIMONY based on these make believe dollars. Payor proceeds to sell his or her assets to make the court ordreed payments. Then after assets are gone you can file for a reduction which is rarely granted. Judges are loathe to change another Judges ruling. Next step BANKRUPTCY! all while the Payee smiles vindictively.
If you think this cannot happen in America, Think again! I used to believe in our Court System, but can no longer.
Change the laws now before your mother, father, brother,sister,son or daughter get entrapped by LIFETIME ALIMONY!
Sheri
February 9, 2012 at 9:25 AM
As a woman, i find it absurd that a man has to pay alimony at all. I can understand if you get divorced in your 60's, etc., when its hard to find a job, but geez - paying someone who is more than capable of working?? Pathetic!
eline
February 9, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Change cannot come fast enough. The recipient does not have to be a good steward of the money. In fact, under the current system, it is in their interest to spend every penny in order to keep the dollars coming in retirement. The poor payer ends up being never able to retire and/or having to pay alimony from the retirement funds that were already divided during the divorce or from any funds they managed to save after the divorce.
The author very correctly states that currently, the payer has to go to court at retirement to try and get the amount reduced or eliminated and has little chance of succeeding. Insult to injury is the fact that they had to pay legal fees to do so, and many have to pay the legal fees of their ex, as well.
Alimony should be for a short while, to get the other spouse on their feet. At the very least, it should end automatically upon retirement age.
The other issue not addressed here, are the people being jailed if they cannot pay due to not being able to afford the alimony. This also needs to end.
Kenneth Wollman
February 9, 2012 at 7:49 PM
This is simply lex talionis, the law of revenge. In my case I can barely walk and I haven't worked n almost two years because of limited mobility. My ex has worked steadily since 1990. I don't know what she earns or has earned. I'm told nothing The burden of proof is always on me when I ask for relief. I've must about given up the fight or the idea that I will not die broke.
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