Massachusetts Passes Alimony Reform Law

The state of Massachusetts could be making legal waves if the Alimony Reform Act of 2011 is passed. It has already been endorsed by the Massachusetts Bar Association in an attempt to create equitable and fair alimony across the state. The association has been fighting for legislation like this for years in the hopes of bringing time limits on alimony orders in Massachusetts.

The Legislative Task Force on Alimony Reform, led by Rep. Eugene L. O'Flaherty and Sen. Cynthia S. Creem, is responsible for drafting the bill. They were assisted by President Denise Squillante, MBA president and co-chair of an earlier committee with the Boston Bar Association on similar matters. After it was reviewed by the MBA's House of Delegates it went up for a vote and was supported unanimously at a Jan. 20 meeting at the DCU Center in Worcestor.

Included in the bill are provisions that added additional factors that could be considered while reviewing alimony cases, the chance to end alimony upon retirement, changing alimony agreements when former spouses live with new partners, clearer limits and definitions of limits of duration and greater judicial allowance to deviate from former standards when reviewing a case.

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