HOBOKEN NEW JERSEY HUDSON COUNTY DIVORCE ATTORNEY ALIMONY RETIREMENT

The New Jersey divorce judge was correct in denying the ex-husband's motion to terminate his permanent alimony obligation after his voluntary retirement at age 59. The alimony payments are needed by the ex-wife in order to maintain her marital standard of living.  She earns approximately half of what he earns, she has recurring health problems due to childhood polio and she cannot access her own full pension benefits until she is 66. To compel her to lose the alimony benefit negotiated just recently and depend solely on her equitable distribution share of his retirement income would be unfair. The ex-husband's early retirement was foreseeable. He failed to address it in the New Jersey divorce negotiation and she should not suffer from that omission.     Quigley v. Quigley, New Jersey App. Div., February 7, 2008