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SPOUSAL MAINTENANCE
Spousal maintenance, commonly called "alimony", is the
term applied to period payments to a spouse for his/her support
for a specific number of years. In New York State, the courts usually
consider maintenance to be rehabilitative, i.e. that it is paid
to a spouce for a specific length of time in order to enable the
spouce to be self-supporting. In some instances spousal maintenance
is paid for life. Payments received are taxable income to the recipient
and deductible to the payor, unless otherwise agreed upon.
Payments made on behalf of a spouse, but paid to a third party such as a mortgage payment, may be treated as maintenance in some circumstances.
There is no statutory formula for determining maintenance.
Courts consider all the facts and circumstances in your specific
case.
Individuals who live together without being married
are not eligible for spousal maintenance in New York State.
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