NH Authorized Perspective: A Assessment of New Hampshire NH Authorized Perspective’s New Upkeep Act

On January 1, changes took effect in New Hampshire and in federal maintenance law. Eight months later, legal and financial professionals are calling for a change to the New Hampshire Maintenance Act.



Even if you haven’t been divorced, you probably know that “alimony” or “spousal support” are payments made to an ex-spouse to meet the recipient’s reasonable living expenses. Although alimony is sometimes ridiculed as an unfair “get rich” program, alimony is intended to provide recipients with a decent income so that they can meet reasonable living expenses while taking steps to support themselves, provided the payer has the solvency.

kAmu @ C J62CD[ }6H w2>AD9:C6’D 2=:>@?J =2HD AC@G:565 ;F586D H:E9 D:8?:7:42?E 5:D4C6E:@? 😕 :DDF:?8 2=:>@?J @C56CD 32D65 FA@? E96 A2CE:6D’ :?4@>6 2?5 6IA6?D6 7:8FC6D 2?5 46CE2:? DE2EFE@CJ 724E@CD] p = D @ 7 @ C J62CD[ 7656C2= E2I =2H AC@G:565 E92E 2=:>@?J A2J>6?ED H6C6 E2I565F4E:3=6 7@C E96 A2J6C 2?5 E2I23=6 :?4@>6 7@C E96 C64:A:6?E[ 2==@H:?8 A2CE:6D E@ 2EE6>AE E@ 564C62D6 E96 72>:=J’D E@E2= E2I =:23:=:EJ]k ^ am

kAmpD @ 7 y2?]`[ ?6H 2=:>@?J 2H2C5D 2C6 ?@H ?@?E2I23=6 2?5 ?@E 565F4E:3=6 F?56C 7656C2= =2H] ! C: @C @ C56CD 2C6 8C2? 572E96C65]} 6H w2> AD9: C6’D 4FCC6? E 2 =:> @? J DE2EFE6? @H AC @ G: 56D 7 @ C> F = 2: 4 8F: 56 =:? 6D 7 @ C E96 2> @F? E 2? 5 = 6? 8E9 @ 7 2? 2 =:> @? J 2H2C5]% 96:? E6CA = 2J @ 7 E96 EH @ 92D C2: D65 6J63C @ HD E9C @ F89 @ FE E96 vC2?: E6 $ E2E6[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C 9:89 H286 62C?6CD]k ^ am

kAm $ A64: 7: 42 == J.[ }6H w2>AD9:C6’D 4FCC6?E 2=:>@?J DE2EFE6 AC@G:56D E92E[ F?=6DD E96 A2CE:6D 28C66 @E96CH:D6 @C ;FDE:46 @C DA64:2= 4:C4F>DE2?46D H2CC2?E 56G:2E:@?[ 2? 2=:>@?J 2H2C5 H:== 36 😕 2? 2>@F?E ?@E >@C6 E92? b_ A6C46?E @7 E96 5:776C6?46 😕 E96 A2CE:6D’ 8C@DD :?4@>6D[ E@ 36 A2:5 @G6C 2 A6C:@5 ?@E E@ 6I4665 92=7 E96 =6?8E9 @7 E96 >2CC:286 2D 567:?65 3J E96 DE2EFE6] % 96 2> @F? E: D 7FCE96C E6> A6C65 3J E96 A2J6C’D 23: =: EJ E @ A2J 2? 5 E96 C64: A: 6? E’D C62D @? 23 = 6? 665]k ^ Am

kAm% 96 25565 DECF4EFC6 E @ E96 2 =:> @? J 2? 2 = JD: D 92D 366? H6 = 4 @> 65 3J D @> 6 H9 @ E9 @ F89E E96 AC: @C DE2EFE6 = 67E E @@> F49 F? 46CE2:? EJ 2? 5 9 @ A6 E96 492? 86 J: 6 = 5D> @ C6 AC65: 4E23 = 6 4 @ FCE @ C56CD]~ E96CD 92G6 4C: E: 4: K65 E96 7 @ C> F = 2: 4 2AAC @ 249 2D E @@ C6DEC: 4E : G6[ 72G@C:?8 E96 23:=:EJ 7@C 72>:=J 5:G:D:@? ;F586D E@ 92G6 H:56C 5:D4C6E:@? 😕 :DDF:?8 2=:>@?J @C56CD] $ @> 6 5: G @ C46 AC24E: E: @? 6CD[ 7:?2?4:2= AC@76DD:@?2=D[ E2I AC@76DD:@?2=D[ 2?5 AC:G2E6 :?5:G:5F2=D 92G6 4@>A=2:?65[ 9@H6G6C[ E92E 3642FD6 2=:>@?J A2J>6?ED 2C6 ?@ =@?86C 565F4E:3=6[ E96 DE2EFE6 J:6=5D F?72:C 27E6CE2I C6DF=ED 7@C 46CE2:? :?5:G:5F2=D 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 A2CE:6D’ C6DA64E:G6 E2I =:23:=:EJ]k ^ am

kAmx? A2CE E @ 255C6DD E96 AC @ 323: =: EJ @ 7 F? 72: C 27E6C E2I C6DF = ED[ 2?@E96C 492?86 E@ }6H w2>AD9:C6’D 2=:>@?J =2H >2J 36 7@CE94@>:?8] pD 72 == 62CD[ =68:D=2E@CD[ =@33J:DED 2?5 25G@424J 8C@FAD 2C6 AC6A2C:?8 AC@A@D65 =68:D=2E:@? 7@C }6H w2>AD9:C6’D a_a_ =68:D=2E:G6 D6DD:@?] rC: E: 4D @ 7} 6H w2> AD9: C6’D 4FCC6? E 2 =:> @? J DE2EFE6> 2J 36 A = 62D65 E @ C625 E92E @? 6 @C> @ C6 AC @ A @ D65 3: == D> 2J 36 5: C64E65 2E 492 8: 8 E96 4FCC6 E 2 =:> @ J 7C2> 6H @ C.< 3J 564C62D:?8 E96 A6C46?E286 2?5 AC@G:5:?8 2 >@ 5: 7: 42E: @? > 6492?: D> E @ 2 = E6C 6I: DE:? 8 2 =:> @? J 2H2C5D E92E H6C6 56C: G65 7C @> E96 7 @ C> F = 2 FD:? 8 E96 4FCC6? E A6C46 E286]k ^ Am

kAm & amp; E: = E96- 6IE 492- 86 @ 44FCD[ :7 :E 6G6C 5@6D[ E96 4FCC6?E 2=:>@?J DE2EFE6 4@?EC@=D 2?5 😀 2? :>A@CE2?E A:646 @7 >2?J 5:G@C46D] # 6256CD 5: G @ C4: 8 D9 @ F = 5 4 @ DF = E 2? 2EE @ C? 6J:? 4 @ ?; F? 4E: @? H: E9 E96: C 7: 2? 4: 2 = 2? 5 E2I AC @ 76DD: @? 2 = D: 7 2 =:> @? J: D 2E: DDF6 E @ 36EE6C F? 56CDE2? 5 E96: C @AE: @? DF? 56C} 6H w2> AD9: C6’D 2 =:> @? J DE2EFE6]k ^ Am

Nicole A. Faille is an attorney at Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA. Her practice focuses on family law.

NH Legal Perspective is sponsored by Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green PA. This column does not provide legal advice. We recommend consulting a lawyer for specific advice on legal issues.

Comments are closed.