Spousal Support in Connecticut
State-specific overview · Family Law
Connecticut courts award alimony based on 13 statutory factors and may order it for shorter or longer marriages.
How Connecticut treats Spousal Support
Connecticut law requires courts to consider factors including the length of the marriage, each party's income and earning capacity, age, health, and standard of living. The state recognizes several types of alimony: temporary (during divorce), permanent (typically for marriages of 20+ years), rehabilitative (to support education or retraining), and reimbursement alimony (to reimburse one spouse for supporting the other's education). Judges have broad discretion and must state their reasoning on the record.
The general definition of Spousal Support
Court-ordered payments from one spouse to another, typically during or after divorce proceedings.
Spousal support, also called maintenance or alimony, is money one spouse pays to the other to help with living expenses during or after a divorce. It recognizes that one spouse may have sacrificed career opportunities during the marriage or may have lower earning potential. Courts consider factors like the length of the marriage, each spouse's income and earning ability, and their age and health when determining if support is appropriate and how much to award. Spousal support can be temporary (lasting only during the divorce process) or permanent (continuing indefinitely or for a set period).
Read the full Spousal Support entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in Connecticut.