New Jersey Alimony

New Jersey provides for several forms of spousal support, and which applies depends principally on the length of the marriage and on what the supported spouse realistically needs. The framework was substantially revised by legislation in 2014, and material written before that describes categories that no longer exist in the same form. Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C. handles these disputes. Call (888) 437-7747.

The Forms of Support

New Jersey recognises open durational alimony, limited duration alimony, rehabilitative alimony, and reimbursement alimony. They are not interchangeable. Rehabilitative support is directed at a defined period of training or re-entry to the workforce. Reimbursement support addresses contributions one spouse made toward the other’s education or training. Limited duration and open durational support address longer-term need, and which is available turns substantially on the length of the marriage.

What Courts Weigh

The statutory factors include the actual need and ability to pay, the duration of the marriage, the age and health of the parties, the standard of living established during the marriage, the earning capacities and employability of each party, parental responsibilities, and the time and expense needed to acquire education or training. No single factor controls, and a court must explain how it weighed them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is permanent alimony still available in New Jersey?

The 2014 legislation replaced permanent alimony with open durational alimony. The terminology and the framework changed, so sources written before that reform describe categories that no longer apply in the same way.

What is open durational alimony?

A form of support without a fixed end date, available principally in longer marriages. It is not the same as the permanent alimony it replaced, and it remains subject to modification and termination on the grounds the statute provides.

Can alimony be changed?

Support may be modified on a showing of changed circumstances, and specific provisions address retirement and cohabitation. Where support was fixed by an agreement, that agreement’s own terms affect what can be revisited.

About Mr. Sris

Mr. Sris, Owner and Founder of Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., has practiced since 1997. He is a former prosecutor, and that experience shapes how he builds a documentary record and reads the other side’s file. He is admitted in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, New Jersey, and New York. His background at George Mason University in accounting and information systems applies to complex financial cases, which is where a contested matrimonial matter usually turns. Mr. Sris and the firm’s Of Counsel attorneys handle New Jersey matters together, with the division of work set at the start of the engagement.

Speak With Mr. Sris

Request a consultation. Reach our location at (888) 437-7747. Bring tax returns, statements for every account, any agreement signed before or during the marriage, entity documents for any business interest, and a short written timeline. That material lets the first conversation move past intake and into the questions that decide the case.

Last updated: August 25, 2026

This page provides general information about New Jersey family law and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. Results may vary.

Law Offices Of SRIS, P.C., principal office: 4008 Williamsburg Court, Fairfax, VA 22032. By appointment. Call (888) 437-7747 to schedule.

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