The duration of maintenance to a former partner can vary significantly. The Federal Supreme Court recently emphasised that such payments should ideally last only as long as necessary, since each former partner should take responsibility for their own living expenses after divorce.
Various factors affect the intended duration, including marriage length, financial circumstances, career history and labour-market prospects of the recipient. It is nevertheless possible to reach an agreement with the former partner, which is usually recognised by the court.
The maintenance obligation ends in any event no later than retirement or the death of a partner.