Can I Lose My Rehabilitative Alimony If I Don’t Meet Certain Goals?

The Maryland courts award rehabilitative alimony to those who need temporary support while they improve their career prospects. To receive an award of rehabilitative alimony, you must demonstrate to the court that the award is necessary for you to take steps and reach goals in order to move toward financial independence. If the court doesn’t see evidence that you’re working toward your specified goals, it can rescind the award, reduce the award, or otherwise sanction the recipient. In this article, the Bel Air, MD, divorce lawyers at Schlaich & Thompson, Chartered, will discuss the rehabilitative alimony plan and how the court evaluates a recipient’s efforts toward meeting their goals.

What are the consequences for failing to meet certain goals? 

• Denial of alimony – If your plan lacks merit at the start, the court will likely reject it. The plan presented to the court must be comprehensive. You must include specifics. If the plan is unrealistic or shows a lack of commitment to becoming self-supporting, the court will likely deny your request for rehabilitative alimony.

• Reduced alimony – If the court awards rehabilitative alimony, and you fail to follow through with the proposed plan or make reasonable progress toward your stated goals, the court might reduce the amount of alimony you receive upon a motion to do so by the opposing party.

• Termination of alimony payments – If the court rules that you are not making sufficient efforts toward becoming self-supporting, the court can terminate your alimony payments before the end date upon a motion to do so by the opposing party.

• Imputation of income – If the court determines that you are intentionally underemployed or not pursuing employment opportunities, it can assign you an estimated earning power. In other words, it will assume that you can make a specific amount of money even if you’re not currently employed. This can result in a reduction of alimony payments.

How does the court evaluate your efforts toward becoming self-sufficient? 

The courts are looking for specific evidence regarding your efforts. This includes evidence that you’ve enrolled in an educational program, gotten vocational training, or are currently working an entry-level position in your chosen field.

The court will consider specific reasons you may be unemployed or underemployed. These can include childcare responsibilities. If childcare responsibilities are preventing you from allocating enough time to becoming self-supporting, the court might give you more time to complete your goals.

How to receive and sustain your rehabilitative alimony 

If you want to increase your chances of being awarded rehabilitative alimony, you should develop a well-defined and realistic plan for becoming self-supporting. You will also want to demonstrate consistent efforts toward putting your plan into place. You will want to document all the efforts you make. That’s why you want to consult with an experienced Maryland divorce lawyer to help you create an actionable plan and navigate the divorce process to ensure your rights.

Talk to a Bel Air, MD, Alimony Attorney Today 

Schlaich & Thompson, Chartered, represent the interests of Maryland spouses who are going through divorce. Call our Bel Air divorce lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your next steps right away.