In Annapolis, Maryland, a spouse may qualify for alimony if they need financial help and the other spouse can provide it. What qualifies a spouse for alimony often depends on whether they can meet basic expenses and maintain a lifestyle similar to what they had during the marriage. Courts consider the marriage length, income gap, and each spouse’s earning potential.
At the Law Office of Patrick Crawford, we help clients understand their position and take the next step—whether they’re requesting support or responding to a claim.
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Courts consider a mix of financial and personal factors before awarding alimony. These include how long the marriage lasted, each spouse’s income and health, and their living ability. Judges also weigh non-financial contributions like raising kids or supporting a spouse’s career.
The goal is fairness—ensuring one spouse isn’t left struggling while the other has the means to help.
Courts may award alimony when one spouse can’t meet reasonable living expenses, and the other has the ability to help. Whether support is granted depends on things like how long the marriage lasted, what each person needs financially, and their capacity to earn moving forward.
Spousal support usually fits into three categories:
Different situations call for different types of support—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
Under Maryland Law, spousal maintenance (alimony) may be awarded if one spouse can’t meet their reasonable needs after divorce and the other can afford to pay. Courts consider factors like:
Eligibility is based on fairness, not automatically granted.
What could block someone from receiving alimony? Remarriage is one clear reason support might stop. But that’s not all. If someone can support themselves—or is capable of working but refuses to—alimony might be denied. Hiding money or avoiding work won’t help either.
The tax treatment of alimony changed significantly under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. According to the IRS:
These changes have a real impact on how spousal support is negotiated today.
Wondering what qualifies a spouse for alimony? We’re here to help. At the Law Office of Patrick Crawford, we’ll walk you through your options and give you clear, practical guidance. Contact us today at 678-960-7648 to learn more about your rights.
Patrick Crawford is an Annapolis Family Lawyer dedicated to helping you through the most complex and emotional family law matters. During his career, Patrick has successfully represented countless people in divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence, and other family law cases of diverse complexity.
Years of experience: 20+ years.
Maryland Registration Status: Active and authorized to practice law.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page has been approved by attorney Patrick Crawford, a legal professional with over 20 years of experience in family law.