Arkansas Courts award three types of alimony:
Temporary. Awarded until the divorce is final and assets divided.
Rehabilitative. Awarded until the receiving party gets through school or back into the workforce.
Permanent. Usually awarded until the paying party retires from the workforce.
When alimony is requested the primary question the Court must ask does one party have the money and does the person asking for alimony need the alimony to continue to live at the standard of living at which the asking party has become accustomed. Then the secondary factors the Court must consider are as follows:
1) Length of the marriage. There is no set amount but a marriage of seven years is a good starting point.
2) Earning capacity.
3) Other assets. If a party asking for alimony has a family trust or is getting a substantial amount of assets in the divorce this is a factor.
4) Health and age of the parties.
5) Child support ordered.
6) Disposition made of the homestead.
6) Is there a prenuptial agreement wherein a party has agreed to forego alimony and is it enforceable.
7) Fault.