Whether you will owe alimony, also known as spousal support, depends on several factors specific to your situation.
In Iowa, courts may award alimony to ensure fairness and financial stability after a divorce, but it is not automatic. The court considers factors such as the length of the marriage, the financial resources of each spouse, their earning capacities, the standard of living established during the marriage, and the contributions each spouse made to the marriage (including non-financial contributions like homemaking or childrearing).
There are three types of alimony in Iowa: traditional, rehabilitative, and reimbursement. Traditional alimony is often awarded in long-term marriages to provide ongoing support. Rehabilitative alimony helps a lower-earning spouse gain education or skills to become self-sufficient. Reimbursement alimony compensates a spouse for contributions like paying for the other’s education. The amount and duration of alimony will vary depending on your financial circumstances and the needs of your former spouse.
Attorneys—and judges—frequently use the rule of thumb that alimony should be paid for half the length of the marriage. So, a 10-year marriage means that the spouse that earns more will owe alimony for 5 years. In a marriage of 20 years or more, alimony is often owed for the remainder of the spouse’s working life. Iowa law does not require this, however, and each situation will be different.
