Lump sum alimony in Connecticut is a one-time spousal support payment ordered under C.G.S. § 46b-82 instead of monthly payments. Because Connecticut courts treat lump sum awards like property settlements, they are generally non-modifiable once entered. The Superior Court charges a $350-$360 filing fee and requires a 90-day waiting period before finalizing any divorce.
Key Facts: Connecticut Divorce and Alimony
| Item | Connecticut Requirement |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee | $350-$360 (plus ~$50 service of process) |
| Waiting Period | 90 days from the return date |
| Residency Requirement | 12 months before final decree |
| Grounds | No-fault (irretrievable breakdown) or fault-based |
| Property Division Type | Equitable distribution (all-property) |
| Alimony Statute | C.G.S. § 46b-82 |
| Modification Statute | C.G.S. § 46b-86 |
As of March 2026. Verify the current filing fee with your local Superior Court clerk.
What Is Lump Sum Alimony in Connecticut?
Lump sum alimony in Connecticut is a single, fixed spousal support payment ordered under C.G.S. § 46b-82, paid in one transfer or a few large installments rather than ongoing monthly checks. Connecticut recognizes four types of alimony, and lump sum is the only form designed to create a clean financial break between divorcing spouses.
Connecticut courts award four distinct categories of spousal support. The first is temporary (pendente lite) alimony, paid during the divorce proceeding itself. The second is rehabilitative alimony, awarded for a set period to help the lower-earning spouse become self-supporting. The third is permanent alimony, which continues until death or remarriage. The fourth is lump sum alimony, a one-time payment that satisfies the entire obligation at once. A leading legal definition describes lump sum alimony as support ordered in such form that, from the outset, it becomes fixed and irrevocable. The award may be payable in cash, in kind (such as transferring an asset), or in a combination of both. Because the obligation is fixed when entered, the paying spouse satisfies the duty immediately and the receiving spouse gains full access to the funds without waiting years for installment payments.
How Connecticut Courts Decide Alimony Awards
Connecticut courts determine alimony through judicial discretion under C.G.S. § 46b-82 — there is no statutory formula or calculator. Judges weigh roughly 12 enumerated factors, including the length of the marriage, the cause of the breakdown, and each spouse's income and earning capacity, to set the amount, duration, and form of any award.
The statute directs the court to consider the evidence presented by each party before awarding alimony. Under C.G.S. § 46b-82, the enumerated factors include the length of the marriage; the causes for the dissolution; and the age, health, station, occupation, amount and sources of income, earning capacity, vocational skills, education, employability, estate, and needs of each party. The court also considers any property award made under C.G.S. § 46b-81 and, for a custodial parent, the feasibility of that parent securing employment. Unlike child support, which follows a numerical guideline, alimony involves no fixed mathematical formula in Connecticut. A judge deciding whether to order a lump sum rather than periodic payments will assess whether one spouse has sufficient liquid assets to pay the full amount immediately, since lump sum awards require available cash or transferable property.
Why Lump Sum Alimony Is Generally Non-Modifiable
Lump sum alimony in Connecticut is generally non-modifiable because courts treat it like a property settlement rather than ongoing support. Under C.G.S. § 46b-86, the court loses jurisdiction over a lump sum award once entered, meaning neither spouse can request a future increase or decrease except in cases of fraud.
This distinction is the single most important feature separating lump sum alimony from monthly support. Periodic alimony disbursements remain modifiable under C.G.S. § 46b-86 upon a showing of a substantial change in circumstances. Lump sum payments are not modifiable, because Connecticut courts characterize them as fixed property-like awards. The statute itself confirms this distinction: C.G.S. § 46b-86 expressly does not apply to property assignments under C.G.S. § 46b-81. Critically, even when a lump sum is paid in installments, the total amount cannot be adjusted later, because it is treated as a single fixed obligation. The only narrow exception is fraud concerning the award. A trial court may even determine, on its own initiative, whether an obligation was intended as alimony or as a non-modifiable property settlement, regardless of the label attached in the judgment.
Lump Sum Alimony vs. Monthly Alimony: Key Differences
Lump sum alimony and monthly alimony differ in three core ways: modifiability, payment timing, and termination triggers. A lump sum is a one-time, fixed, non-modifiable payment, while monthly (periodic) alimony continues over time, can be modified under C.G.S. § 46b-86, and typically ends on death, remarriage, or cohabitation.
The table below compares the two structures across the factors that most affect a divorcing spouse's decision. Understanding the lump sum vs monthly alimony trade-off is essential before agreeing to either structure, because the choice is usually permanent.
| Feature | Lump Sum Alimony | Monthly (Periodic) Alimony |
|---|---|---|
| Payment structure | One payment or few large installments | Recurring monthly payments |
| Modifiable? | No (except fraud) | Yes, on substantial change |
| Governing statute | § 46b-82 | § 46b-82 + § 46b-86 |
| Ends on remarriage? | No, already paid | Yes, typically |
| Ends on cohabitation? | No, already paid | Yes, under § 46b-86(b) |
| Risk of non-payment | None after payment | Ongoing collection risk |
| Federal tax (post-2018) | Not deductible/not taxable | Not deductible/not taxable |
A one time alimony payment eliminates the collection risk that haunts periodic awards, because the receiving spouse holds the funds rather than depending on the payer's future solvency.
The Alimony Buyout: Converting Monthly Payments to a Lump Sum
An alimony buyout converts a stream of future monthly payments into a single present-value lump sum, negotiated through an alimony buyout agreement. In Connecticut, spouses commonly use a buyout alimony structure to achieve a clean break, with the paying spouse discounting the total to reflect the time value of money paid up front.
A buyout alimony arrangement is most often created by agreement rather than imposed by a judge over both parties' objection. The mechanics work as follows: the parties estimate the total periodic alimony that would otherwise be paid over the award's duration, then discount that figure to present value because a dollar paid today is worth more than a dollar paid years from now. The resulting lump sum is documented in an alimony buyout agreement and incorporated into the divorce decree. Because the buyout is structured as lump sum alimony, it becomes non-modifiable under the property-settlement rule of C.G.S. § 46b-86. This permanence benefits the payer, who can never be ordered to pay more even if the recipient's needs grow, and it benefits the recipient, who keeps the full sum even if the payer's income later rises. Both spouses should obtain independent legal and financial advice before signing, because the buyout extinguishes all future modification rights.
Tax Treatment of Lump Sum Alimony in Connecticut
Lump sum alimony in Connecticut is neither tax-deductible for the paying spouse nor taxable income for the receiving spouse, for any divorce finalized after December 31, 2018. This federal rule comes from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, and it remains in effect for 2026, applying to lump sum and periodic alimony alike.
Before 2019, alimony payments were deductible by the payer and reportable as income by the recipient, which often made larger awards easier to negotiate. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed December 22, 2017, eliminated that treatment for divorces finalized after December 31, 2018. As of 2026, a Connecticut spouse paying a $200,000 lump sum receives no federal tax deduction, and the receiving spouse reports none of it as income. This change directly affects negotiation strategy, because the paying spouse no longer offsets the cost through tax savings. When structuring a buyout alimony agreement, both parties should account for the after-tax value of the transfer. A lump sum funded from a retirement account may also trigger separate tax consequences, so a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) is sometimes used to move retirement funds without immediate taxation. Always consult a tax professional before finalizing any one time alimony payment.
Residency, Filing Fees, and Timeline in Connecticut
To finalize a Connecticut divorce, at least one spouse must have lived in the state for 12 months, and the court imposes a 90-day waiting period from the return date. The Superior Court filing fee is $350-$360 as of March 2026, plus roughly $50 for service of process, bringing minimum court costs to about $400.
Connecticut allows a complaint to be filed before the 12-month residency period is complete, but the court will not enter a final decree until residency is satisfied. A divorce may also be granted if one spouse was domiciled in Connecticut at the time of marriage and returned with intent to reside permanently, or if the cause of the breakdown arose after either spouse moved into the state. The 12-month residency requirement and the 90-day waiting period run concurrently, so starting early shortens the overall timeline. Couples who agree on every issue, were married nine years or less, and have no minor children may use the nonadversarial divorce process under C.G.S. § 46b-44a (Joint Petition, form JD-FM-242), potentially finalizing in as few as 35 days. Fee waivers are available through form JD-FM-75 for filers earning below 125% of the federal poverty level. Verify all fees with your local clerk, as amounts change.
| Timeline Type | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
| Nonadversarial (fastest) | ~35 days |
| Uncontested | 4-6 months |
| Contested | 12-18 months |
When a Lump Sum Award Is Challenged as Disguised Property Division
Connecticut courts have repeatedly upheld lump sum alimony awards even when the paying spouse argues the award is an improper property distribution in disguise. Under C.G.S. § 46b-82, a court's reference to property-division factors does not automatically convert a valid lump sum alimony award into an unlawful property assignment.
This issue arises because alimony and property division overlap conceptually, yet they rest on different legal foundations. Periodic and lump sum alimony are based primarily on a continuing duty to support, while property division under C.G.S. § 46b-81 divides the marital estate the spouses accumulated. Connecticut appellate courts have held that a trial court's mention of property-division factors does not render a lump sum award an improper property distribution, so long as the court genuinely considered the alimony criteria of C.G.S. § 46b-82. The practical consequence cuts both ways. Because a lump sum is treated like property for modification purposes, it is locked in and cannot be revisited. But because it is legally grounded in the support statute, it survives challenges arguing the court exceeded its property-division authority. This dual character is precisely why careful drafting of any alimony buyout agreement matters: the document should make clear which statute supports the award.