Social Security CardTwo decisions this month of the Appellate Division, Second Department, tied the termination of post-divorce spousal support (“maintenance”) to a specific ages: 65 in Duval v. Duval; and 62 in Sansone v. Sansone.

In Duval, after 20 years of marriage, the wife commenced her action for divorce. The decision reports that “both parties are 56 years old.” During the course of their marriage, the parties had two children, one of whom was emancipated. In 1992, shortly before the birth of their first child, the husband became the sole source of financial support for the family. The wife was a stay-at-home mother prior to the commencement of the action. In approximately 1999, the wife’s father, an insurance agent, retired, and the husband took over his father-in-law’s insurance agency [how important is this fact to the decision?].Continue Reading Tying Maintenance to Social Security