Are there different kinds of alimony?

Yes. New Jersey has four different kinds of alimony: limited duration, rehabilitative, reimbursement, and permanent. These four different kinds of alimony can be awarded individually or in any combination as warranted by the circumstances of the parties.

Can a person request alimony after a divorce is complete?

In many divorces, neither party receives any alimony because the dependent spouse has sufficient income to be self-supporting and to maintain a reasonable standard of living. However, that could change due to unforeseen circumstances such as serious illness and an inability to work. In this type of case, the sick spouse can file an application for alimony even though the judgment of divorce did not provide for any. If the case has merit, then the court sets a plenary hearing to determine whether an award of alimony should be made. The court examines the financial situation of both parties, the standard of living enjoyed during the marriage, the sick spouse’s current prognosis, and any other relevant factors.

If a spouse who pays alimony remarries, does this terminate the obligation to pay alimony?

If the spouse who pays alimony remarries, then the remarriage does not terminate the alimony obligation. If the payor spouse remarries and claims an inability to support the former spouse, this factor alone is not a sufficient change of circumstances to justify a decrease in alimony.