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How many years do you have to be married to get alimony in Tennessee? There is no minimum length of time for the marriage for alimony to be awarded. Even for a very short marriage, there could easily be awarded if one spouse is unemployed and needs assistance.

Spousal support pendente lite: Also known as temporary alimony, this type of support is ordered while the divorce case is pending, and it allows one spouse to maintain the previous marital standard of living or at least some certain financial status while the divorce case is pending.

To obtain alimony pendente lite, the applicant must show: Proof of marriage to the other spouse. The existence of a pending divorce. A cause of action or defense with some chance of success. Financial inability to support himself or herself and pay for the expenses associated with divorce.

Tennessee law states that alimony in futuro will be owed when the spouse receiving support cannot be expected to reach a level of earning capacity to allow a standard of living comparable to that enjoyed during the marriage or similar to the post-divorce standard of living enjoyed by the other spouse.

There is no set formula for an award of alimony in Tennessee. Instead, the judge has wide discretion in deciding the nature, amount, and duration of an alimony award to balance the reasonable need of the disadvantaged spouse with the obligor spouse's actual ability to pay.

Ultimately, a spouse may be denied alimony if they do not need financial support to maintain the standard of living established during the marriage. Additionally, the court may deny a spouse alimony if the higher-earning spouse cannot afford maintenance payments.