Alimony aims to maintain the economic status quo from a marriage. While New Jersey courts don’t have set guidelines for determining alimony, there are certain circumstances that inform negotiations in mediation and court decisions. The following factors are taken into account when determining alimony: The need and ability of each party to pay The financial age and physical and emotional health of each party The earning capacity, education, training, vocational skills, and employment opportunities of both parties The length of the marriage or civil union The length of absence from the job market of the person seeking payments to be made to them The supporting spouse’s ability to pay The standard of living established during the marriage, and the ability of both parties to maintain this standard Parental responsibilities, both during and after the marriage The time and cost for the supported party to re-enter the workforce through education and training The history of marital contributions made by the supported party to the marriage Terms of the division of assets settlement Income available through any investment of assets by either party The tax consequences of any alimony award Additional factors the court deems relevant to the particular case The amount of weight that each or any of these factors has in determining alimony isn’t preset by any state guidelines. Because of this, alimony—whether decided through mediation or litigation—is one of the areas of divorce where your attorney can have a significant impact. We highly recommend having an experienced alimony attorney on your side.