Throughout a marriage in Pennsylvania, couples build a shared life together. They may purchase homes and other property, they have bank and retirement accounts, they may have children together, they also pay their bills together, go on trips, as well as do daily tasks together such as eating dinner together, partaking in various forms of entertainment and share other aspects of their lives as well.
The lifestyle couples live is often dependent on their income though. While the couple may ultimately share the property and income earned by both spouses how they earn the income can vary. In some marriages each spouse will earn a similar amount of income. In others only one spouse will work and earn all of the income. In between those two scenarios is a wide variety of income levels earned by each spouse.
Factors used to determine amount and duration of alimony
During the marriage it may not matter which spouse earns the income, but it does matter if the couple goes through a divorce. If one spouse earns all or most of the income it can put the spouse who did not work in a difficult spot financially. In these situations, the spouse who earned the income may be able to receive alimony. This is not true in every divorce though and the amount and duration of the alimony will depend on a number of factors. These factors include, but are not limited to:
- Current income and earning capacity of each spouse
- The age and health of each spouse
- The duration of the marriage
- Standard of living during the marriage
- Separate assets brought to the marriage by each spouse
- Other relevant factors
Many couples go through divorce each year in Pennsylvania. As each marriage is unique, each divorce is unique based on those unique circumstances. Alimony is one issue that really varies from divorce to divorce as there are factors that are analyzed and not a formula used to determine the amount and duration of alimony. Experienced attorneys understand the complications of determining alimony and may be able to guide one through the process.