Getting through a divorce is difficult for many reasons, and plenty of people have concerns about maintaining their current lifestyle if they let go of the main breadwinner.
This is where alimony, also called spousal support, comes in. But what exactly is it, and how does it work to support couples going through financial troubles due to divorce?
Types Of Alimony
Smart Asset discusses divorce laws in Arkansas. Three types of alimony have recognition in the state. These are temporary, rehabilitative and permanent alimony.
The first type is the most common. Temporary alimony typically tends to last while the divorce is ongoing and not much longer than that. It serves as a buffer to keep a person afloat while making adjustments to their budget and plans for the future.
Rehabilitative alimony helps a person for a short period of time, but longer than temporary alimony. This typically goes to people who need to gain the education or skills they may need to join the workforce and begin to sustain themselves on their own income.
Permanent alimony is the rarest form, and this type of alimony will last until one of the people involved passes away.
How Alimony Gets Determined
While there is no current set formula in Arkansas to determine alimony in every case, judges will typically consider the same factors in every case.
This includes the length of the marriage, who serves as the primary caregiver of any children and how much each person has in terms of debts and assets. With these things in mind, the court will make a decision on the amount of alimony owed.