There may not be a more polarizing term during a divorce proceeding, and even once a divorce is complete, than “alimony.” How your client feels about it inevitably depends upon whether he or she will be paying or receiving spousal support.
Alimony in New Jersey dates back to colonial times. The current statute (N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23 et seq.), however, has had no significant modifications for the last four decades (except, perhaps, for the addition of limited-duration alimony as an option for courts to award, in 1999). The law is intended to balance any inequities in the parties’ earning capacities and permit them to continue to live, as closely as possible, a lifestyle comparable to that enjoyed during their marriage.
