About Alimony

When a couple decides to divorce, it's common for one party to seek alimony. This is an amount of money they receive every month to keep them in the lifestyle they had while married. The court bases the amount and duration on a number of factors relating to the marriage with the amount going to the party who earned less throughout the marriage.

Function

Alimony is also known as spousal support and applies to either the husband or the wife. When the couple divorces, the largest earner is often required to pay alimony to their spouse. The court hears both sides of the case and makes the final decision as to whether alimony is provided and the amount allowed. This money goes to supporting the spouse, though not any children the couple share. The length of time in which alimony is provided varies depending on the case.

History

The original use of alimony was for couples that separated after a given length of time but didn't seek a divorce. In older times divorce was looked down upon and forbidden in some cultures. A couple that no longer wanted to be together lived separately without ending their union. The husband in that union often paid alimony to support his wife. Courts changed their views in the 20th century to allow some wives to pay alimony to their husbands.

Considerations

Alimony is decided by the court but only after looking at a variety of factors regarding the marriage. The court looks at how long the marriage lasted, how long the couple was separated before seeking a divorce and the income of both individuals. Other factors that go into the decision include the health of each party and their career prospects. The final decision includes the length of time support is provided and the amount provided.

Warning

It's worth mentioning that just because one party in the divorce requests alimony, there's no guarantee that the court will grant the request. There are some factors that can cause the court to deny the request. If the lesser earner cheated during the marriage or if the higher earner has a serious medical condition, the court will often deny the alimony request. Alimony can also be dropped once the lesser earner marries again, which happens in most cases.

Features

Following a divorce, alimony is often granted to the individual that earns less in the relationship with the duration and amount specified by the court. If the alimony is not paid, the one seeking support can attempt to recover the funds by using a collection agency. There are also some areas of the world where the non-payer is considered a debtor and can face jail time or fines for not paying their alimony. The one seeking alimony can use the money for anything relating to her lifestyle.