New York law allows couples to include alimony in their divorce agreement. One party might seek alimony from their soon-to-be former spouse, and the other party might fight against paying alimony to their soon-to-be ex. Divorce is rarely a peaceful situation without harsh feelings, and the discussion of alimony is typically a point of contention for one if not both parties. Sometimes alimony in New York is referred to as spousal support. The point of alimony is to provide financial support the lesser-earning spouse. Not all spouses who earn less than their partner want to accept money from their spouse if the marriage was bad, but most do want alimony. What is rehabilitative alimony? When the court provides you with alimony support from your ex-spouse, you aren’t meant to receive a check every month for the rest of your life. You’re meant to receive it within the timeframe stipulated in the divorce decree. Common reasons to end alimony payments include the following. - You get remarried - You die - Your kids grow up and move out of the house - You finish your degree or trade program and reenter the workforce - The amount of time in which the court decides you’re capable of getting back on your feet expires Alimony is not meant to last forever, which is where the term rehabilitative comes from. Rehabilitative alimony is not permanent. There are permanent forms of alimony available in some situations, but the kind discussed here is meant to end at some point. Why do I need an attorney? Divorce is one of the most common causes of financial strain for many couples, and you need an attorney on your side to fight for your rights. Your spouse will fight with you about alimony if you are not on good terms, and sometimes your spouse will fight paying alimony even if you are on good terms. You need an attorney on your side to help protect you when you’re facing this problem. Without an attorney on your side, you are less likely to find your rehabilitative alimony is what you want. The timeframe might not be long enough for you to realistically finish your degree or get back on your feet. The amount you’re awarded might not be enough. The terms might not be good enough. Your spouse might try to hide his or her assets. An attorney knows what happened in many divorce cases, even when both partners swear they will never handle their divorce with anything but class. Situations change quickly when there is this much upset, and you want your protection. Call an Attorney The law is on your side in terms of making the correct provisions for your financial needs. If your marriage is over, it’s time to focus on receiving what is rightfully yours so you can begin your new life with an appropriate second chance to make things right for yourself. Call an attorney who has ample experience working with alimony and alimony laws. An attorney with experience in alimony law is your best chance to get bigger payments for a longer period of time as well as gleaning insightful understanding how this all works. You must know what’s rightfully yours, what’s not, and how to handle a situation where money is involved. You have rights, but so does your spouse. Both of you should hire an attorney who knows how to deal appropriately with alimony cases to ensure you get what’s yours so you have a chance to create a better life for yourself and your family if you have one.