Michigan Divorce Law...

Michigan Law - What Factors Affect the Alimony Amount?

Here are the factors the court considers in granting alimony:

Factors to be considered in determining whether alimony should be awarded in a judgment of divorce include:

• The past relations and conduct of the parties;
• The length of the marriage;
• The ability of the parties to work;
• The source and amount of property awarded to the parties;
• The ages of the parties;
• The ability of the parties to pay alimony;
• The present situation of the parties;
• The needs of the parties;
• The health of the parties;
• The prior standard of living of the parties and whether either is responsible for the support of others;
• The general principles of fairness.

Cases:

Hatcher (1983) 129 Mich App 753 (The trial court in this case labeled a share of the pension benefits as "alimony." The appeals court said that this was all right. The appeals court noted that the wife's original filing had requested "alimony," so the lower court had a ground for using that label. The parties had been married for 29 years, and their children were grown at the time of the divorce. The lower court divided all the available property 50/50. The total value amounted to around $24,000. The husband was ordered to pay $125 per month in alimony, plus further alimony to be specified when (and if) the pension payments started.)

Email this page on to a friend.

Disclaimer: We are not giving legal advice. No warranties. We disclaim all legal liability. More...

Click here to go to top Michigan divorce law page.

Click here for the Michigan divorce legal table of contents.