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Couples grappling with divorce are discovering that the potential value of a professional degree is not easily shared with a spouse, like a piece of real estate. Jilted spouses are learning that they can't cash in on their spouse's professional degree when they break up.
University of Utah law professor Linda Smith says it is a mistake for alimony to be strictly limited to the number of years a couple is married.
"I do think the court should have broader equitable authority to order alimony for a longer period of time," she said.
She says the courts only recognize verbal agreements between spouses for about a year.
Should you have signed a prenuptial agreement before you rushed to the altar?
"I think having a contract that says what's going to happen if we get divorced may make sense if you're Brittany Spears," Smith said.
E-mail: tcallan@ksl.com
