If you and your partner have decided to get a divorce, one of the things you may have to discuss is the possibility for alimony or spousal support. This can be a difficult subject, since one party may not feel obligated to pay the other after the marriage is dissolved. Is alimony really necessary in today’s world? Should a man or woman be paid by his or her ex-spouse for leaving a relationship?
The truth is that alimony is still very necessary for a number of reasons, and your attorney may explain why it could benefit you in your case. First of all, it’s there to sustain someone while he or she finds a job, increases his or her earnings, or to help him or her have a similar lifestyle to when the couple was together. There’s no harm in wanting to be on equal footing leaving a marriage, especially since couples are often working together to get where they are in the world.
Alimony has been around for centuries, and although it used to be used for women’s needs following a marriage, it’s not just for women anymore. Men, too, can be the recipient of alimony.
No one should have to be on the losing side when it comes to divorce. Both parties, in a fair relationship, should be in a position to walk away with around 50 percent, or an equitable divide, of property. Alimony protects those who gave up a job to stay home and watch the couple’s children, and it protects those who have paid for another’s schooling or other needs.
Source: Huffington Post Divorce, “Is Alimony Still Necessary,” Kristen Houghton, accessed Jan. 14, 2016
