In 2011, Governor Deval Patrick signed into law some changes to the alimony laws in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. These were the first time these laws had been changed since 1785. The changes were prompted due to new laws that allowed no fault divorce in the Commonwealth.

Impact of changes

Many people do not understand how these changes impacted divorced couples. Some of the changes that were made included:

• Alimony for life - this was perhaps the most significant change to alimony. In years past, a spouse was ordered to pay alimony until the other spouse passed away with no regard to their ability to pay. Today, payments stop when a partner reaches retirement age.
• New spouse recalcuation - when the partner paying alimony was remarried, the receiving partner could request an increase in alimony based on the new spouse's income. This is no longer allowed.
• New term limits - partners can no longer collect alimony forever. In fact, there were more strict limits put in for marriages under twenty years. While a spouse may collect alimony until retirement age when a marriage has lasted twenty years or more, there is now a cap on the amount of alimony that must be paid for marriages under twenty years that ranges from 50 percent for marriages lasting five years and goes up to 80 percent for marriages lasting fifteen to twenty years.
• Avoiding remarrying - oftentimes partners who are receiving alimony live with a new partner so as to not impact their alimony payments. Today, the new laws state that alimony may be reduced or eliminated when the receiving partner is cohabitating.

Many of these changes will have an impact on a spouses ability to request a modification of an existing alimony order as well. If you need assistance in determining how these laws impact your existing alimony order or if you need help modifying an existing alimony order, contact the Law Office of Robert W. Kovacs, Jr.. As an experienced Worcester Divorce Attorney, I can help you understand how these changes may impact you.

Many recent graduates are experiencing feelings of jubilation combined with the fear of struggling to find some type of student loan debt help. President Obama held a Rose Garden event surrounded by students on May 31st, 2013 during which time he pressured Congress to prevent the increase of student loan interest rates from doubling on July 1st. "We can't keep saddling young people with more and more debt, just as they're starting out in life," Obama said in a statement published by ABC news.

Recently featured in a blog for Think Progress, (a project of the nonpartisan organization known as the Center for American Progress Action Fund) the CFPB, also known as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau addressed a "new push to alleviate mounting student loan debt". So it is obvious that there has been a lot of thought as well as a lot of discussion about this current crisis that is evolving, but can or will it help you as a student burdened with loan debt?

There is one little known government program that established an income based repayment sometimes referred to as an IBR. This repayment plan actually became available late last year allowing some individuals to make lower monthly payments. This plan was designed to function as a pay as you earn type of a repayment plan for those who have a student loan debt that is high in relation to your income. This applies to specific types of loans so it may not be an option for everyone.

The best advice available to anyone experiencing any type of debt stress or debt overload is that it is important to take action to protect yourself and your interests. It won't help to just turn your back and hope that it goes away. This is a serious concern for many individuals that requires some expert help and guidance to get you on the right path. There are professionals available to help you understand all the fine print and red tape that you may encounter on the pathway to your future when it comes to finances and managing your debt. To learn more about your options contact us for a consultation of your situation with our expert recommendations as to the best pathway for you.