Sen. Jehlen Co-sponsors Alimony Reform Bill

Governor Signs Bill; New Law Upgrades Outdated System

On Monday, Governor Patrick signed a bill that reforms the Commonwealth’s alimony system, Senator Patricia Jehlen announced. The bill, the first comprehensive modernization of Massachusetts alimony law in over twenty years, simplifies and clarifies current definitions and requirements while retaining discretion for judges to make decisions based on the facts of the case.

“This important piece of legislation reforms an antiquated and often unfair system,” said Sen. Jehlen, a co-sponsor of the legislation. “I have heard too many stories of families hurt by the alimony system. This balanced approach takes account of changes in society and the workplace in order to make the alimony system fairer for all.”

The bill was substantially influenced by the work of a task force of legislators, divorce lawyers, judges, and others. This task force reviewed the numerous alimony reform bills then pending in the legislature’s Judiciary Committee. After more than a year’s worth of research and testimony, the task force made recommendations, upon which the Senate bill was based.

The legislation presents clear categories of alimony like general term alimony (payments to an economically dependent former spouse), rehabilitative alimony (payments to a recipient expected to become self-sufficient by a specific time), reimbursement alimony (payments to a recipient who supported the payer in some way during a marriage of less than five years), and transitional alimony (payment to a recipient for a change in location after a marriage of less than five years). General alimony will tie the length of payments to the length of the marriage. For example, for marriages less than five years, alimony would be required for no more than two and half years. The length of time for alimony increases with the years of marriage. The court has discretion to order indefinite alimony for marriages that lasted more than 20 years. Conversely, general term alimony payments could be reduced, suspended or terminated upon the remarriage or cohabitation of the recipient, the payer reaching the full age of retirement, or the death of either former spouse.

The bill also contains protections for alimony recipients who have been abused, are chronically ill, or have been deemed unable to find employment. Additionally, it allows the opportunity for existing court-ordered alimony to be modified to conform to the new standards set out in the bill.

– Information from State Senator Pat Jehlen (D-Somerville, Medford)

Editor’s Note: Alimony reform unanimously passed the House of Representatives in July, with all of Medford’s representatives joining their colleagues in voting in favor of the legislation.