If your Arizona marriage is coming to an end, you may, depending on the specifics of your situation, decide that you want to pursue spousal maintenance. Spousal maintenance, which is also called alimony, is a provision your husband or wife may have to make to you when your marriage ends so that you are able to maintain a certain quality of life.
There are several factors that come in to play when a court decides whether to issue an award of spousal maintenance, and if so, for how long. One of those factors involves the length of the marriage itself. In most cases, Arizona courts are hesitant to award spousal maintenance in situations where the parties’ marriage lasted less than five years.
Additional considerations in awarding spousal maintenance
Arizona courts will also consider a number of other factors when determining whether to grant you spousal maintenance. In addition to the length of your marriage, you can expect the court to consider whether you have the property and financial resources necessary to provide for yourself.
The court will also typically look at whether you sacrificed your own career or education so that your spouse could pursue his or hers, and it may, too, consider whether you are too old to realistically rejoin the workforce and find success. If it appears that you may not be self-sufficient enough to provide for yourself, financially, you may be able to secure spousal maintenance for a given time.
You can also expect that an Arizona court will consider your standard of living. If, for example, you have not worked in decades, but you live a comfortable life because your spouse earns a substantial income, a court may be more likely to award spousal maintenance so that you can continue to live the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed.
While these are some of the factors that help courts determine whether to award spousal maintenance, please know that this is not an exhaustive list.
