How long must a marriage last to qualify for alimony?

In New York, alimony, also referred to as “spousal maintenance” or “spousal support,” is a form of financial support that can be ordered by a court to be paid from one ex-spouse to the other. In order to qualify for alimony, the couple must have been legally married for at least one year. This means that if a couple has been married for fewer than 12 months, then they will not qualify for alimony, as the marriage has not been long enough to qualify. In certain cases, the court may increase the alimony award or circumstances may qualify the couple to receive alimony even if their marriage has lasted for less than one year. These exceptions may include certain domestic violence cases, as well as cases in which one spouse left the marriage due to abandonment, adultery, or extreme cruelty. In New York, alimony may also be awarded in cases involving annulments, though these awards tend to be limited to the length of the marriage. Annulments are granted if the couple was never legally married in the first place or if the marriage was fraudulent or incestuous. Overall, in order to be eligible for alimony in New York, the couple must have been legally married for at least one year. However, in certain cases, couples may qualify for alimony even when their marriage has lasted for fewer than 12 months.

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How long must a marriage last to qualify for alimony?

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