Mass. Gen. Laws » Part II Title III Chapter 208
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 208, § 48 (2026)

Definitions applicable to Secs. 49 to 55

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 48. As used in sections 49 to 55, inclusive, the following words shall, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following meanings:—

''Alimony'', the payment of support from a spouse, who has the ability to pay, to a spouse in need of support for a reasonable length of time, under a court order.

''Full retirement age'', the payor's normal retirement age to be eligible to receive full retirement benefits under the United States Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program; but shall not mean ''early retirement age,'' as defined under 42 U.S.C. 416, if early retirement is available to the payor or maximum benefit age if additional benefits are available as a result of delayed retirement.

''General term alimony'', the periodic payment of support to a recipient spouse who is economically dependent.

''Length of the marriage'', the number of months from the date of legal marriage to the date of service of a complaint or petition for divorce or separate support duly filed in a court of the commonwealth or another court with jurisdiction to terminate the marriage; provided, however, that the court may increase the length of the marriage if there is evidence that the parties' economic marital partnership began during their cohabitation period prior to the marriage.

''Rehabilitative alimony'', the periodic payment of support to a recipient spouse who is expected to become economically self-sufficient by a predicted time, such as, without limitation, reemployment; completion of job training; or receipt of a sum due from the payor spouse under a judgment.

''Reimbursement alimony'', the periodic or one-time payment of support to a recipient spouse after a marriage of not more than 5 years to compensate the recipient spouse for economic or noneconomic contribution to the financial resources of the payor spouse, such as enabling the payor spouse to complete an education or job training.

''Transitional alimony'', the periodic or one-time payment of support to a recipient spouse after a marriage of not more than 5 years to transition the recipient spouse to an adjusted lifestyle or location as a result of the divorce.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 43 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 2014–2026 · leading case: Zaleski v. Zaleski, 13 N.E.3d 967 (Mass. 2014).
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Zaleski v. Zaleski, 13 N.E.3d 967 (Mass. 2014). · cites it 8× “” G. L. c. 208, § 48. The alimony reform act provides, among other things, that “[rjehabilitative alimony shall terminate upon .”
Duff-Kareores v. Kareores, 52 N.E.3d 115 (Mass. 2016). · cites it 8× “This case requires us to decide whether the judge correctly construed G. L. c. 208, § 48, which provides that “the court may increase the length of the marriage if there is evidence that the parties’ economic marital partnership began during their cohabitation period prior to…”
Hassey v. Hassey, 11 N.E.3d 661 (Mass. App. Ct. 2014). · cites it 10× “208, § 34, and placing it under new alimony provisions, G. L. c. 208, §§ 48 to 55. Section 34, as before the Act, continues to govern property division, by providing that a court with personal jurisdiction over the parties may, upon divorce or in an action thereafter, assign to…”
Connor v. Benedict, 118 N.E.3d 96 (Mass. 2019). · cites it 5× “See G. L. c. 208, § 48. A judge, however, may "increase the length of the marriage if there is evidence that the parties' economic marital partnership began during their cohabitation period prior to the marriage.”
Chin v. Merriot, 23 N.E.3d 929 (Mass. 2015). · cites it 4× “To support his claim for relief, Chin asserted as “changed circumstances” that he had attained the age of sixty-eight, “full retirement age” as defined by G. L. c. 208, § 48. He argued that, pursuant to G.”
Holmes v. Holmes, 6 N.E.3d 1062 (Mass. 2014). · cites it 5× “” G. L. c. 208, § 48. The reform act established four distinct categories of alimony: general term alimony, rehabilitative alimony, reimbursement alimony, and transitional alimony.”
In Re the Marriage of Steven Michael Gust & Linda Leann Gust Upon the Petition of Steven Michael Gust, 858 N.W.2d 402 (Iowa 2015). “); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 208, §§ 48–55 (West, Westlaw through ch.”
Vedensky v. Vedensky, 22 N.E.3d 951 (Mass. App. Ct. 2014). · cites it 2× “” G. L. c. 208, § 48, inserted by St. 2011, c.”
Rodman v. Rodman, 23 N.E.3d 922 (Mass. 2015). · cites it 2× “1 During the pendency of the modification proceeding, George filed a motion seeking immediate termination of the alimony payments on the ground that he had reached “full retirement age” as defined by G. L. c. 208, § 48, which was enacted by St.”
Balistreri v. Balistreri, 106 N.E.3d 693 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). · cites it 5× “" G. L. c. 208, § 48, inserted by St. 2011, c.”
Pfannenstiehl v. Pfannenstiehl, 55 N.E.3d 933 (Mass. 2016). “Pursuant to G. L. c. 208, § 48, the length of the marriage thus was ten years and seven months.”
Sbrogna v. Sbrogna, 91 N.E.3d 1175 (Mass. App. Ct. 2018). · cites it 4× “The question presented here is which of those pleadings is to be used for purposes of G. L. c. 208, § 48, enacted as part of the alimony reform act, which defines the phrase "length of the marriage" as "the number of months from the date of legal marriage to the date of service…”
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