Divorce is difficult – both emotionally and financially – for everyone concerned. The NJ Family Court system uses spousal support or alimony to ease financial burdens, so that neither party is left without the means to support the lifestyle to which they were accustomed. For anyone seeking alimony or required make alimony payments in NJ, there are a few different kinds to keep in mind. An experienced family law attorney will help determine which one applies to you and your individual situation.
There are five kinds of alimony payments according to NJ divorce law: temporary, reimbursement, rehabilitative, limited duration and permanent. A judge may decide to award a combination of alimony payments to a spouse rather than just one.
In this article we discuss reimbursement alimony and its advantages or disadvantages.
When Should I Pursue Reimbursement Alimony?
Established in the 1982 NJ Supreme Court case Mahoney v. Mahoney, reimbursement alimony is exactly what it sounds like. It is designed to reimburse someone for expenses related to pursuit of a degree of professional license during the marriage. When one party helps to pay for the other’s education, they may be eligible for reimbursement. Consult your family law or divorce attorney to find out whether you are eligible for reimbursement alimony.
Higher Education Expenses
In some instances, a spouse pays out-of-pocket for their partner’s education, making reimbursement alimony a very obvious option in the event of a divorce. Yet even if you were not physically making payments to an educational institution, you might still be eligible for reimbursement. For instance, if you were working while your spouse was pursuing a degree, a case could be made that you should be reimbursed for things like rent, utilities and other living expenses.
Reimbursement alimony may be awarded if you made direct or indirect monetary contributions to your spouse’s education with the expectation that the degree would financially benefit both of you. The money spent in support of a spouse’s pursuit of higher education is essentially treated as an investment.
Keep in mind, reimbursement alimony does not entitle you to money that your spouse receives as a result of completing their degree. For instance, if your spouse earned a medical degree during your marriage, reimbursement alimony will not extend to any of the money your spouse earns in the medical field.
Contact a Family Law Attorney in NJ
If you would like to learn more about the different types of alimony in New Jersey, contact the law firm of Villani & DeLuca today. Our NJ family law attorneys can guide you through all your alimony and divorce-related questions. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for a free consultation. Call us at 732-965-3350.
