Husband, our client, worked for a software company in the Andover, MA area throughout the course of the entire 22 year marriage. At the time of the filing of Divorce, he earned over $200,000 per year. During the marriage, Wife was for the most part a homemaker and stay-at-home mom to Parties’ four children. At the time of the divorce Wife earned roughly $20,000 per year working as a waitress. With such a disparity in Parties’ income coupled with the length of the marriage, the issue of Alimony was an unquestionable factor in this case. Wife wanted an indefinite alimony order, which in the absence of the parties agreeing otherwise would result as a matter of law.

RESULT:   Parties agreed to a one time alimony buy-out equivalent to less than what Husband would have otherwise been ordered to pay had an indefinite alimony order resulted. Parties agreed to a lesser amount as it was stipulated that there was an immediate benefit received on Wife’s part because she received the buy-out in a lump-sum payment.