Will you pay alimony for life in Illinois?

 Posted on March 18, 2022 in Alimony

Alimony is one of those things you might be left to deal with after the dissolution of your marriage. If you were the higher earner in the marriage, you may have to give your ex-spouse financial support for their maintenance. It ensures that your former spouse will continue living the life they were accustomed to during the marriage.

The amount of alimony that you will be paying your spouse depends on several factors, including:

• The length of your marriage
• The living standards during the marriage
• The disparity of income between you and your ex
• Your ex-spouse's age and physical health
• Any existing legal agreements like prenups, among others

So how long will you keep paying up?

It depends on how long you have been married

Ideally, it would not make sense to pay alimony for a longer period than the actual marriage. Under Illinois law, the duration of spousal support is directly related to how long the marriage lasted.

For instance, if the marriage lasted for five years or less, the duration of the alimony will be 20% of the length of the marriage. However, should the marriage have lasted for more than 20 years, you may have to pay alimony for a period equal to the length of the marriage or indefinitely.

When will you stop paying alimony?

Your alimony obligations will end when the designated period ends or when your ex-spouse remarries. Additionally, if their financial circumstances change for the better, you may no longer be obligated to pay spousal support.

If you are paying alimony, it is advisable to learn how everything works to protect your interests. For instance, it is possible to seek a modification of the amount of spousal support you are paying if you are unable to continue doing so comfortably.