You may not think your marriage lasted enough, or that your former spouse was dependant enough upon you, to justify you paying alimony, but if the court decrees it, you must comply. If you need assistance modifying your alimony agreement, please read on, then contact an experienced Peoria County alimony lawyer to learn what you should know about permanent alimony in Illinois.
In Illinois, will you have to pay alimony forever?
It is by no means common, but sometimes, the court will order that one spouse permanently support the other. Permanent alimony is typically reserved for spouses that are unable to support themselves due to one of the following conditions:
- Illness
- Age
- One spouse was dependent on the other for 20 years or more
In a marriage of under 5 years, maintenance payments last for 20 percent of the duration of the marriage. For a marriage of 9 to 10 years, alimony payments last 40 percent of the marriage’s length. Marriages of 20 or more years mean alimony will either last the marriage’s length or indefinitely. Even so, spousal maintenance payments can be modified or terminated if you can prove certain conditions have been met.
Can you have alimony terminated in Illinois?
In Illinois, spousal support will end if the following conditions are met:
- The dependent spouse is living with a conjugal partner
- The dependent spouse remarries
- Either spouse dies
Spousal support may be terminated if there have been substantial and involuntary changes in the following circumstances:
- Employment status
- Lack of effort to become independent by the dependent spouse
- Either party’s impairment due to disability, health crisis, etc.
- The tax burden of alimony on either party
- The duration of previous payments and the amount of time remaining
- The property divided in the divorce
- A decrease in the payer’s income
- New property acquisitions after the finalization of the divorce
- Any other factors the court is willing to consider
How can a Peoria County divorce attorney help you?
A skilled Peoria County family law attorney can argue that your alimony payments need to be modified or terminated. While the case might seem obvious to you, you should expect to expend a great deal of time, effort and paperwork. A qualified legal professional can represent you in court, fight on your behalf and draft and present the necessary documents. Our firm will fully apprise you of your rights and responsibilities as you proceed. You can’t afford to let your case languish. Give us a call today.
Contact Our Experienced Illinois Firm
At Butler, Giraudo & Meister, P.C., our divorce lawyer will help you navigate the divorce or family law matter you are facing. We provide effective and compassionate legal counsel for the following legal matters: divorce, alimony, division of marital assets, child custody, and child support. Contact us today.
